It's Complicated by Christiane France

When I think of “Tasty Treats” I think of the specialty/gourmet food store near where I live. The owners are from Europe (either Austria or Germany I’m not certain which) and what started as a single store has opened 5-6 branches spread around the city and neighboring towns. They make their own sausage, pates, meat pies, various frozen dishes, and liptauer—an extremely addictive cheese spread that includes chopped green onions and anchovies and tastes great on crispy breadsticks. They also have things like caviar and truffles and cherries in liqueur, smoked duck, and the list of imported and domestic goodies goes on and on. At Christmastime, the store is filled with European chocolates, stollen—a white German fruitcake that’s made with yeast and filled with marzipan, and my all time favorite—dominos which are one-inch square cubes layered with gingerbread, apricot preserves and marzipan and then dipped in chocolate. Oh, yum… 

A store like this has always been the dream of Pete Letouche, the main character in It’s Complicated. With this in mind, he’s spent the past ten years away from home. First, training as a chef and then working in all the big hotels, learning food from the ground up and saving what he needed to launch his dream.

When the story starts, Pete is back home in Peninsula Heights. The store has been open for several months and business is much better than he expected. He’s on top of the world. Life couldn’t get any better. That is until an unwelcome blast from the past walks into the store and asks to speak with him.

*_*_*_*

“Excuse me, sir?”

I turned my attention to one of the young college students I’d hired part-time to hand out samples.

“Yes, Patti. What’s the problem?”

“There’s no problem, Mr. Letouche. See that guy over there wearing the bandana?” She pointed to a man with his back to us, standing just inside the main door. “He says he’d like a word with you.”

I looked to where she was pointing and frowned. “Who is he?”

“No idea, sir.”

Whoever the guy turned out to be, between the inked arms to the way he was dressed in ripped blue jeans and a leather vest over a sleeveless tee, he would have looked more at home hanging out on a street corner than he did here. “He asked for me but didn’t give his name?”

“No, and I didn’t think to ask. Sorry! He just said, ‘Is Pete Letouche in?’ then said he wanted a word with you. I figured he must know you. Unless maybe he’s delivering something.”

Or he could be applying for the job I’d advertised in the local paper. I needed someone to make home deliveries, stock shelves and fill in for anyone who was off sick. I don’t usually judge a book by its cover, but if first impressions were anything to go by, he wasn’t quite what I had in mind. I was looking for someone younger, such as another student or even a high school dropout.

I went over to where the man waited. “Hi. I’m Pete Letouche. Is there something I can help you with?”

He turned to face me. “Hi, Pete. Long time no see. Nice place you have here, by the way. Very nice indeed.”

There was something familiar about the guy I couldn’t quite put a finger on. Now that I was closer to him, I could see that he was good-looking, with one of those hard, sexy bodies you see on guys in magazines. He was also a few inches taller and several pounds heavier than me. I had a feeling I knew him from somewhere. As a business owner I met a lot of people in the course of any given day. I also did my share of socializing. It could have been anywhere, here at the store, at a charity function, a friend’s house, or even in one of the local clubs. “If you’re here about the job…”

“I’m not. You really don’t remember me?”

“Should I?”

“I don’t know. Maybe not. It was a long time ago. I haven’t forgotten you, though.” He shrugged, then followed it up with a sexy grin that caught me by surprise.

The grin fixed my memory lapse. It made my heart race and my libido pay attention as it fast-tracked me back to the night of my high school prom and the hotel where the event had been held. My head was ready to explode with the sudden rush of memories, of scents and sensations. A dark room that smelled of aftershave, sweat and sex. The feel of cool hands on my hot flesh… A hot, very eager mouth taking possession of my swollen, aching dick, and then—

Oh, my God! This could not be happening.

Note: This is the first book in a new series, Peninsula Heights. The sequel will be out shortly. 

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*_*_*_*

It's Complicated by Christiane France is now available at Amber Allure.

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LATEST PAX RELEASE - Tasty Treats

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Tasty Treats An AmberPax™ Collection of 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!)

The Fetish Cafe by A.J. Llewellyn & D.J. Manly Novella (Gay)

It's Complicated by Christiane France Novella (Gay)

Serving Mr. Right by Sean Michael Extended Amber Kiss (Gay)

Steak Through the Heart by Heidi Champa Extended Amber Kiss (Gay)

Tempted to Taste by Shawn Lane Extended Amber Kiss (Gay)

 

In conjunction with our newest release, we will be having a giveaway! Any comment made from today throughout the week (2/16-2/21) will be eligible to win the entire pax collection. A winner will be picked at random on Saturday from all comments received.

Tempted to Taste by Shawn Lane

Ryan Callahan’s parents died in a boating accident off Sutter’s Bay when he was five years old. Now, Ryan is back in the bay and ready to live in the Victorian reproduction house his father built for his mother. And he’s also ready to get his dream job as a chef. The job of head chef seems to fall into his lap when the bay’s newest restaurant, Mabry’s, is short-staffed, but when the sexy-as-sin owner, Chris Mabry, returns from vacation, he fires the inexperienced Ryan on the spot.

Ryan’s dream seems to be over before he gets a chance to prove himself. Yet when Chris quickly realizes his restaurant is truly failing without the help of a creative and talented chef, he rehires Ryan.

As Mabry’s prospects for success take a turn for the better, things start to sizzle between Ryan and Chris. And soon, Ryan is cooking for Chris...personally...

NOTE: This story is part of the Sutter’s Bay series.

Genres: Gay/Contemporary/Series

Heat Level: 3

Length: Extended Amber Kiss (13k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...The lunch shift thrived around Chris as he entered the restaurant, nearly every table already filled, and Chris felt a sense of satisfaction. He’d taken a big chance opening here in Sutter’s Bay. Especially since he knew a local favorite, Adam Colfer, had just months before opened a restaurant. Fortunately it seemed as though Sutter’s Bay had become popular enough to handle it.

“Hi, Chris,” Sophia, one of his hostesses, greeted him.

He smiled at her. “Everything going all right?”

“Yeah, everything’s good.” She lowered her voice. “The new chef is hot. I hope he’s straight.”

Chris realized he actually had no idea. And he certainly shouldn’t be hoping the new chef was gay. No. Definitely. Not.

He shrugged. “No clue. His sexual orientation was not on his resume.”

There was no resume, of course. But whatever.

Deciding to check on the hot new chef himself, Chris went through the swinging door into the kitchen.

Ryan, already wearing an apron, was talking to the short, dark-haired woman he’d hired as a sous chef. Her name was Rosie. He shot a glance at Chris before going back to his conversation with Rosie.

After a moment, Rosie moved away and offered Chris a smile. “Hi, Mr. Mabry.”

“I told you, it’s Chris. We’re very informal around here.”

“Right.” She smiled. “I’ll be back in a second, Ryan.”

“Sure, no worries,” Ryan said as she left the kitchen. “Hey, boss man.”

Chris rolled his eyes. “Chris will be just fine, thanks.”

Ryan smirked. “We’ve got things in order here.”

“Did I ask?”

“You want to. Don’t sweat it, Chris. I may not have been a chef before but I managed to keep things together the night you fired me and that was without much help. I have more now. It’ll be all right. I can handle it.”

“Okay.” Chris nodded and started to turn away. But something made him stop and ask, “Your wife didn’t move to Sutter’s Bay when you did?”

Ryan chuckled and Chris felt himself turn red.

“Is that your not so subtle way of asking my sexual orientation?”

Chris frowned. “No. No. Um. I just wondered.”

“No wife, no girlfriend. I like guys. No boyfriend though either.” Ryan winked. “Got all that?”

He cleared his throat. “Yeah. Well, I should go back to the dining room. I’ll check here later.”

“Chris?”

He stopped just before he went through the swinging doors. “Yeah?”

“You got a wife?”

Still feeling like he was blushing, he didn’t turn around. “No, I’m the same as you.”

And then he left the kitchen... 

Steak Through the Heart by Heidi Champa

As the owner of the Atomic Veggie food truck, Russ serves his popular vegetarian food all over the city. His former classmate and rival, Darren, owner of Meat Me Halfway, has never served a vegetable out of his truck, unless it was on top of one of his gourmet cheeseburgers. The two men never got along under the best of circumstances, but after spending one hot night together during culinary school, things went from bad to worse.

Now, when they’re not cooking, they’re thinking of ways to make each other miserable, with a series of ever-escalating pranks. When Darren approaches Russ in a time of need, will the two call a truce and finally give into the passion they’ve been denying for years? Or will one last prank prove to be the end of their simmering relationship? 

Genres: Gay/Contemporary

Heat Level: 3

Length: Extended Amber Kiss (12k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...When Darren stood next to me, I ignored my usual instinct to move away from him.

“So, working with me again wasn’t so bad, was it?”

I smiled, but didn’t look at him.

“Well, I have to say touching raw hamburger meat is still as gross as I remember, but other than that, no. It wasn’t so bad. You were right. We always have worked well together.”

He clinked his long neck bottle against mine, and our eyes met.

“Told you so.”

“You really are a cocky bastard, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told.” He bumped his shoulder into mine, and my stomach flipped over at the contact. “Although, I’ve been told it’s one of my most attractive qualities.”

I drank a sip of my beer, but it stuck in my throat and I started to cough. When he slipped his arm around me and put his mouth right next to my ear, I thought I was going to choke all over again.

“You used to think so, Russ. And I think maybe you still do.”

When I felt his tongue slide over my earlobe, I knew I had to get away. I shrugged his arm off me and moved as far away from Darren as I could, which, under the circumstances, wasn’t very far. When I caught my breath, I realized what he was doing. I wasn’t going to fall for it again and I most certainly wasn’t going to let him off the hook this time. As my anger rose up inside me, I let him have it.

“I can’t believe you’re fucking with me right now, Darren. After I came here to help you.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

He set down his beer and tried to come closer, but I put my hands up to stop him.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. If you think I’m gonna fall for that shit again, you’re crazy.”

Darren looked confused, but I knew it was all part of his little game.

“I’m not trying to mess with you.”

“Oh, please. Yes, you were. What else do you call it?”

He slid a hand through his hair and retreated a step. “Well, if you want to know the truth, I was trying to hit on you.”

I shook my head and laughed.

“Duh, I know. So you could make me look stupid when I went for it. You did the same thing outside the bar a few weeks ago.”

“No, I—”

“Dude, save it. Let’s just go. I can’t deal with you anymore tonight.”

I reached for the door, but he spun me around before I could turn the handle. His face was inches from mine, and I could barely breathe.

“Maybe I wasn’t clear before, Russ. I really want to kiss you.”

I was starting to think he was serious. There was one way to find out. I put my hands around his waist and pulled him against me. My logical brain knew it was a mistake, but I said what was on my mind anyway.

“Then go ahead.”

He wrapped his hand around the back of my neck and did as I asked. It was even better than it had been outside the bar, but part of me was still waiting for the other shoe to drop... 

Serving Mr. Right by Sean Michael

Ten years ago, Finn walked away from Tone and the BDSM lifestyle. It was a bad break-up, and while Tone hasn’t been able to find anyone else, he likes to tell himself he hasn’t given Finn a second thought.

Now the chef/owner of Decadence, one of the most exclusive restaurants in town, Finn is a changed man. When he discovers Tone is a guest at his establishment, he can’t help but moon a bit over the one he pushed away. He knows he at least owes Tone an apology, and arranges a meeting.

Tone instantly realizes he’s not really over Finn, but can he believe that the man has changed? Or would a reconciliation simply lead to even more heartache? 

Genres: Gay/Contemporary/BDSM

Heat Level: 3

Length: Extended Amber Kiss (12k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...His scallops arrived and he had to try very hard not to drool. They were served with a crisp, apple flavored white wine. Seasoned perfectly on top of a lovely tart salad, the scallops literally melted in his mouth. The chef was pure genius.

The prawns, when they arrived at the perfect interval after he’d been served his appetizer, were spicy and fresh, the basil sharp and herbaceous.

The best food of the evening, though, was the mousse. Oh, God. It really was like flavored air.

Tone hadn’t had food this amazing in a long, long time.

He heard a smattering of applause as the chef came out, wearing a bright red jacket, greeting each table warmly. He was the last table to be touched, and he heard a soft gasp. “Tony? Tony, oh my God! Welcome to Decadence! I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

He looked up into Finn McCready’s big blue eyes, the wide smile. His mouth dropped open. Finn was the last person he’d expected to see. Not that Finn hadn’t been a great chef—because he had been—but because he’d never expected to see Finn again after their rather…volatile break-up.

Finn’s smile faltered. “Or maybe I have you mistaken with someone else. My apologies. Was your food to your liking?”

He managed not to roll his eyes at Finn. “You know full well it’s me. Sit down, Finn, and let me stroke your ego.”

“I was offering you the out. You looked so shocked.”

“I was shocked. I should have known it was you from the food, though—you always were a genius in the kitchen.”

Finn shrugged and grinned. “I’ve got a good thing going here.”

“I’ll say—I’ve seen the prices. And you’re booked solid until you die.” Only a slight exaggeration, he was sure. He grinned back, though, letting Finn know he wasn’t bitching. The food had been the best he’d had. Ever.

“It’s the perfect place—a good size, warm, nice kitchen. I’m happy with it.” Finn held out a hand. “It was great to see you, Tony. You look amazing.”

He offered his hand to Finn and nearly fell off his chair at the fucking electricity that sparked between them. Looked like they still had chemistry in fucking spades. That had never been their problem.

He didn’t let go of Finn’s hand. “And you’re looking better than ever.” Happiness had softened the angles of Finn’s face a little. He’d always been handsome, but there used to be a harshness to Finn that gave him a hard edge. Tone liked this version of the man a whole lot better... 

The Fetish Cafe by A.J. Llewellyn & D.J. Manly

Imagine a café that caters to your every whim and secret fetish, run by hot young men eager to please. Would you go for it?

When, out of desperation, Bran Caspar takes a job in a women's designer shoe store, little does he know he's just entered a world of secret shoe fetishes and a string of cafés designed to cater to a man's every whim and secret obsessions. It's a world that turns out to be deadly but highly compelling, especially with a certain "maid" named Rick.

For Bran's best friend, Finn, the prospect of a new business is a pleasant distraction from his horrible breakup with his lover, Waldo. And speaking of which, where is Waldo? Right inside The Fetish Café, looking for more than a cup of coffee.

Will these best friends find happiness at the end of their shift, or will they, too, become victims of The Fetish Café? 

Genres: Gay/Contemporary/BDSM/Group Sex/Menage (M/M/M)/Voyeurism

Heat Level: 3

Length: Extended Amber Kiss (12k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...The next few weeks were challenging to say the least. While Rick worked on hiring staff and sending out personal invites to former clients of The Maid Café and their friends, Bran and Finn made sure the construction company completed the work as laid out, the bar was stocked, the bedrooms and playroom downstairs was just right. They consulted with Rick’s S and M person, a guy named Silas that looked like Bran’s grade six gym teacher, and went over their surveys one hundred times making sure they didn’t leave anything out.

“The category of other should compensate,” Finn told Bran as they sat in the café part of the house, formerly Finn’s living room. “We can cater to most kinds of kink.”

“Yeah, but anything really weird like sex with live farm animals and out they go,” Bran said.

Finn chuckled. “We won’t have any clients.”

“Rick called earlier. We have a guest list of over sixteen men. All of them rich, all of them wanting to remain anonymous.”

Finn nodded. “The staff is ready. Rick said he’d make sure they were dressed or…” Finn grinned. “Not, appropriately.”

“The pastries arrive tomorrow at noon, gooey and delicious,” Bran mentioned. “We’re really doing this. Are you excited?”

“I am,” Finn said, “but I’m curious to see if these rich guys will be willing to pay what we’ve set down as a membership fee?”

“Rick says they will,” Bran replied.

“This is great. Bran, I do think this idea of yours borders on brilliance.”

Bran held up a hand. “Let’s ah…wait until tomorrow night, shall we, before we declare it a success? I’d like to linger on the side of caution for a while.”

“Fair enough.”

They were sitting side by side on the sofa. Finn reached over and touched Bran’s hand then leaned in and kissed him full on the lips.

Bran was stunned for a second.

Finn backed away, looking equally shell shocked. “Sorry, I…I guess I got overcome by the moment.”

“It’s okay.”

Suddenly they looked up and Rick stood there. He was smiling. “Twenty. We got twenty for tomorrow night,” he told them. “Hope we got enough donuts.”

The three of them laughed.

The phone rang and Finn went to answer it.

Bran met Rick’s eyes. “You’ve done an incredible job.”

“Thanks.” He came closer.

“Are you intending on doing your cat routine?” Bran felt a little weak looking at Rick.

Rick came and sat beside him. “Maybe. I have a client coming who likes that sort of thing. Do you like it?”

Bran nodded.

Rick placed a hand on Bran’s thigh. Their eyes met. Oh boy, Bran thought. What’s this?

“You have beautiful eyes,” Rick said softly.

“Thanks. You have…” He trailed off as Rick’s hand slid higher.

“Yes?” he asked.

“Everything. Everything about you is…” Bran snaked his hand up around back of Rick’s neck and pulled him forward. Their lips met, hot and electric, oh yeah. “I want to fuck you so bad,” Bran groaned against his mouth.

Rick reared back. “What’s stoppin’ you?” His chest was heaving.

“Finn says we…well we can’t…we’re partners and…”

“Fuck what Finn says.” He sniggered. “He can join us if he wants.”

Bran’s eyelids flew open. Wow, a threesome with Rick and Finn. Um, that sounded nice.

“I bet he would if we asked,” Rick suggested, his gaze going to the tent in Bran’s pants.

“I don’t know…” Bran said hesitantly.

Rick grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. “Let’s ask him, shall we?...” 

It's Complicated by Christiane France

In Peninsula Heights, Pete Letouche and Mitch Ravello lusted over one another in high school. Then on prom night, a couple of drinks gave them the courage to put their thoughts into action and share their first sexual experience. With Pete’s father chief of police and Mitch’s reputed to be the local crime boss, however, Pete knew there could never be anything more between them than that one night. Shortly thereafter, Pete left town to train as a master chef, which led to him working at different hotels across the country. But during that time, he never forgot Mitch, and he also never lost sight of his childhood dream to own a gourmet food shop.

Now, ten years later, Pete has returned to town, and his shop is both a reality and a success. He’s on top of the world, until Mitch walks into the shop and announces he’s taken over the note Pete signed for the down-payment on the building.

Pete knows Mitch’s father is retired, but did Mitch take over the family business of loansharking and shaking down local business owners? Mitch says not, but Pete has no way of knowing if Mitch is telling the truth. And to make matters worse, the lustful feelings they once shared seem alive and well. Pete can’t help but wonder whether his feelings for Mitch are real or just warmed-over old memories.

When Mitch invites him to dinner at his place, Pete decides to go. A private, face-to-face meeting could be the perfect opportunity to sort out the present and put the past to rest.

NOTE: This story is part of the Peninsula Heights series.

Genres: Gay/Contemporary/Series

Heat Level: 3

Length: Novella (18k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...Mitch came closer and stroked a hand down my cheek. “Deny it if you must, but you know damn well whatever we felt for one another all those years ago is still very much alive and well. This is what we both want and I see no reason to fight it.”

I’d known that when I first saw Mitch at the store and realized who he was. I’d been fighting it ever since. It was prom night all over again, complete with all the wanting, the hot rush of excitement, and that same small element of fear in knowing who he was, where it might lead, and what would happen if anyone found out. Except now I was an experienced adult who had more sense than to start something I might not be able to stop.

“I can’t.”

“There’s someone in your life?”

“No.”

“Then why not?”

“Because… You know why not.”

“You mean because of our parents?”

“What else? If we lived in a different town, then maybe. But we were both born and raised here in the Heights, Mitch. Everyone knows who we are.”

“So what? People no longer care about stuff like that.”

“My dad sure does. He’d hit the roof. And then people would start talking.”

“No, they wouldn’t.”

“Yes, they damn well would. And it’s not just my dad. I have a business and employees to consider.”

“And they’ll all be fine no matter what you and I do. You were gone a long time, babe. Things have changed since we were kids.”

“The way people think hasn’t. At least not here in the Heights.”

He shrugged. “You sure about that?”

“Of course I’m sure.”

“Then do me a favor and ask your dad what he thinks about me. You might be surprised.”

I looked up, figuring he had to be joking, but the look on his face was serious rather than amused. “Are you out of your mind? If I even mentioned I had dinner with you, he’d either disown me or have a coronary. Maybe both. As for telling him anything else…”

Mitch was nuts if he thought peoples’ opinions changed when it came to a piece of juicy gossip. And with everyone knowing who our fathers were made it even worse. We didn’t stand a chance. I had to put a stop to whatever was going on between us and the only way of doing that was to turn around and walk away. I took a deep breath and a small step back, determined to stay strong. I’d said no. Now I needed to let him know I meant it by getting the hell out of here.

I made it to the door, but Mitch followed and moved in close. I smelled his scent and felt my control start to slip. He had me trapped. If I could just look away… Then his lips curved in a smile and the last threads of my resistance disappeared like fallen leaves in a late October breeze.

He cupped my face in his hands and brushed his lips against mine. His touch sent shivers down my spine and started the familiar ache in my balls.

“I won’t tell if you don’t,” he whispered against my mouth.

“There’s nothing to tell.”

“Ah, but there will be, babe. Just quit talking and touch me. I need to know you want this as much as what I do.”

“What if we only think we want this?” I could feel perspiration running down my back. I wanted Mitch as much as he wanted me, but I couldn’t just give in. I needed to think of the possible consequences and everything I stood to lose...