Thank You, Ranch Romances by Deirdre O'Dare

Rancher Wade is struggling to hold his life together after his wife’s death leaves him with two small children as well as a ranch to run. In desperation, he puts a letter in a pulp magazine, announcing that he’s seeking a housekeeper and nanny to help him manage his home. The last thing he expects, however, is the young man who steps off the train in response to the ad.

Darnell is at the end of his rope. The war is over and jobs are hard to find, especially to one who has few skills other than cooking and keeping house, learned while he helped his abandoned mother keep their family intact. The letter he finds in a discarded magazine seems a godsend, so he jumps at the opportunity. It doesn’t take long to fall in love with young Ben and Winnie, but he also develops a huge crush on the rugged and manly Wade, who seems to be everything Darnell is not. Dare he dream that Wade might find him attractive, too?

In the 1940s, the vernacular used toward people such as Darnell are crude and insulting. Prejudice abounds, and he feels its keen cuts. Can he make himself a place in the lives of the family he has adopted, or will hate and suspicion send him fleeing?

Genres: Gay/Nostalgic Contemporary (1940s-Era)/Cowboys/Western
Heat Level: 2
Length: Novella (18k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...The young man seemed perpetually calm and even-tempered. Wade had never heard him raise his voice to the kids, but they both treated him with respect and even some affection. As he watched, Winnie wiped up the last bit of egg with her biscuit and scrambled from her chair to help clear the dishes from the table. She handed them to Darnell while he stacked them in the sink, preparing to wash them. She said something about her new dress Wade could not quite make out, then smiled widely as she did a little pirouette.

A pang shot through him, something he could not quite label jealousy or even envy although he knew it was close. He was big and gruff and had no understanding of a small girl’s needs and wishes, like the importance of a pretty dress and having her hair neatly combed and braided every morning. Somehow, male or not, Darnell did. Wade figured he was a decent dad, but as a mom, he had none of the necessary attributes, none at all.

He got up to head back out to go on with his day’s work. Something made him pause. “Thank you, Darnell. You’re doing a great job as a housekeeper and I appreciate it.”

A wave of color washed over the other man’s face, and he looked down at the sink, now full of hot water and suds. “I do the best I can. Disappointing you is the last thing I want to do. Most of my effort is for the children, too. I know they miss their mother, especially Winnie.” He glanced down at the little girl, his expression almost tender. “I can’t take that place, but I can do some of the same things for them.”

“You do dang good,” Wade replied, perhaps in a gruffer tone than he intended. For an instant, he had the awkward and inappropriate urge to bend down and kiss Darnell good-bye as he’d always done to Winifred when he left the house to get on with his day. He gave himself a hard mental shake and then headed for the door, driven by the spur of urgency to escape that mad idea.

Heading out to the inner pasture, Wade caught his favorite cowpony, a rangy bay gelding he called Stormy. The horse had been wild as a colt and earned the name, but he’d settled down to be one of Wade’s most reliable mounts. The name no longer fit, but he wouldn’t change it. He cinched on his saddle, swung up, and headed out. There had been some rains finally, and he hoped the grass in the upper area of the ranch reflected some growth due to the moisture. If not, he’d have to look into supplemental feeding soon. That would take a bad bite out of his profit when he sold the yearlings come fall.

Despite his efforts to put the kiss that hadn’t happened out of his mind, it clung there like a hungry tick on his old dog, Blue. And when he managed to shove aside imagining what Darnell’s gentle-looking mouth would feel like under his, other things about his unorthodox housekeeper and nanny edged in. Like how neat he always was, how pretty his dark hair looked with the sun catching its surprising reddish highlights, and how fetching his rear end looked now that he was wearing proper Levi’s instead of those pleated slacks. Wade had caught him bent over at the door of the chicken coop reaching for an egg the other day and gone hard as a branding iron at the sight.

Damn it all. This was getting way out of hand. He should send Darnell back where he came from, but he knew that would break Winnie’s heart and probably upset Ben almost as badly. The kids both adored Darnell. Maybe he should go visit Lavina again—although that was about as appealing as chasing the old half-Jersey cow he kept in the horse pasture to supply milk for the kids. Flossy was a good cow, but he sure wasn’t into that!

Which led him right back to Darnell again. Well fuck! He didn’t use that word a lot and never in front of women or children, but it seemed to express his frustration. Maybe he could take the other man out on a ride someday soon and stop in a hidden meadow up on the side of the mountain. Then he’d get this crazy itch taken care of for once and for all...

Textual Attraction by K-lee Klein

Lewis has spent most of his adult life looking after his aging parents, and he recently ended a relationship with a domineering guy who’d been nothing but bad for him. Despite his less-than-stellar track record with men, he’s still hopeful there’s someone out there for him, but he’s learned to be careful with his heart. So he can’t figure out why a cryptic, gruff, drunken voice mail from a stranger named Jerry doesn’t make him hit the DELETE button. It’s clear the man’s got the wrong number. But when Jerry begins to text, Lewis finally responds, saying he’s not the guy Jerry wants. Jerry, however, is nothing if not persistent, and he keeps texting and teasing Lewis, even after he knows the truth.

Lewis is surprised when something sparks between them. Jerry turns out to be charming and witty, and they develop an odd friendship through text messages. When Jerry suggests they finally meet in person, Lewis is apprehensive, yet curious. Can he take the big step to meet Jerry face-to-face? More importantly, can he maybe even trust Jerry with his heart?

Genres: Gay/Contemporary
Heat Level: 2
Length: Extended Novella (34k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...The first phone call came when Lewis Snell was in the tub. He’d been enjoying a favorite read on his iPad, with his phone close by in case something exciting happened to rock his world on Facebook or Twitter. He’d nearly dropped his precious pad in the bubbly water when the ringing started and the phone clattered incessantly against the marble countertop because no one—absolutely no one—ever called him. And really, who ever used their cellphone for real calls anyhow?

He ignored it the best he could, silently wondering if he’d ever set up the voicemail or if anyone actually left messages anymore either. Even his seventy-seven-year-old mother texted him at least twice a day, plus emailed him more than that, rather than picking up the phone. And speaking of her, Lewis didn’t remember changing his ringtone to “YMCA.” She’d obviously gotten hold of it and worked her magic on it—devious black magic in Lewis’ book.

Once he was perfectly wrinkled from the lavender bathwater, Lewis crawled carefully from the tub. He wrapped his favorite white, fresh-from-the-dryer, Egyptian cotton towel around his shoulders while he stared at the blinking message on his phone.

You have one missed call.

You have one voicemail.

Apparently, his mailbox had been set up after all, but whether Lewis knew the password would be revealed soon enough.

After grabbing up the phone and his tablet, Lewis padded sleepily from his en suite to his bedroom, quickly tugging on his plaid pajama pants and oversized Glee T-shirt to beat the chill of the room from settling in. He popped his evening meds, then tucked himself into bed with his iPad and phone at the ready.

Princess Peony, his beloved and bossy feline, soon joined him, nudging against his chin, until he made room for her on his lap, while he reclined against the leather headboard. She pawed and kneaded him into the best cat bed possible before purring herself to sleep with Lewis absently stroking her fur. In his other hand, he gripped his phone as if it were ready to explode.

“I’m acting ridiculous,” he said to absolutely no one. “It’s only a phone call. Doesn’t mean it has to be bad news or any news at all.” He’d seen his mother earlier, and he’d heard his father shuffling around the apartment, so Lewis’ two biggest fears were unfounded.

With the gentle slide of his finger, he arrived at the voicemail page. He didn’t recognize the number, but he threw caution to the wind, guessed his password in two shots, and pressed the play button.

“Hey, Tom. It’s Jerry…”

Tom and Jerry, really? Now all Lewis could picture was a feuding cat and mouse, and that made him feel old—old and extremely curious.

“I know we didn’t end on good terms last week, but I found that color-challenged knit cap of yours in between the cushions of my couch. I know you’re pretty attached to it, so I figured you’d want it back. You already have my number…or maybe you don’t. It’s 555-6722, so, you know, if you want it just give me a call or else I’ll just drop it in the lap of that homeless guy down on Seventh. Doesn’t matter to me. Yeah, okay…well, later…or not.”

Lewis quite liked the deep, raspy voice. It was one of very few kinks for him, surely obtained from television and movies with hot growly men in them. Kink aside, he found himself interested in the stranger in the message, despite the weird cartoon names and telltale slur he attributed to alcohol. The background noise was rife with loud music and glass bottles clinking together. Calling from a bar to return, or not return, an ugly cap didn’t seem the perfect way to go about talking to someone. But who was Lewis, who rarely used the phone at all, to judge?...

Not Without My Phone! by Heidi Champa

Keller James loves his smart phone. A lot. In fact, his phone is the most important relationship in his life, much to the chagrin of his friends. Keller uses his phone for every part of his life, including his favorite thing—hooking up. Keller doesn’t see the problem with being connected all the time. Until one night, when a simple text message turns his whole life upside down, he suddenly finds himself without his phone. And without his friends.

In desperation, Keller turns to Gus Adams, his favorite barista, who has never owned a smart phone in his life. Gus helps Keller through the loss of his electronic connection, through his withdrawal symptoms, and shows him how to survive without the world at his fingertips.

As they get to know each other, Keller finds himself falling for Gus. And suddenly, for the first time in years, Keller doesn’t miss his phone at all. When he finally gets a new phone, will his addiction resurface, or can he resist the temptation of the digital world and follow his heart instead?

Genres: Gay/Contemporary/Romantic Comedy
Heat Level: 2
Length: Novella (28k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...Gus sat back in his seat, folding his arms across his chest. I could tell he thought I was crazy, but I was hoping he’d still agree to help me. “So, you bet your friends you could live without your phone, but you didn’t really think it all through.”

I nodded slowly. Hearing someone else say it out loud made my plan sound even dumber. But it was too late to turn back now. “Yup. I guess I wanted to find out how you get by. I mean, you must get online somehow, right?”

Gus pondered my first question for a moment, before answering. “Yeah, a bit. Here at the shop mostly. You know, to order supplies, to send emails to vendors and stuff.”

I shook my head, shoving my thumb through the loop on the side of the mug. “I mean for social stuff. Or, you know, for fun.”

“Oh, well, I mean, I really don’t do a lot of that. The café has a Facebook page, but I don’t run it. I have accounts, but I never really use them. Don’t really see the point.”

My mouth fell open, but I tried to collect myself. “So, you’re not on social media at all? I mean, how do you stay in touch with people?” I asked, trying to keep the shock out of my voice.

Gus shrugged, grinning at me. “I don’t know. Most of my friends are local, so I see them around a lot. I talk to the long-distance ones on the phone, mostly.”

“Really? You talk on the phone? I mean, like, actual conversations?”

Gus giggled, but quickly stopped himself. “Yeah. You never used your phone for calls?”

“No. No one I know does,” I said emphatically.

“That surprises me. I mean, I know I’m a bit old-fashioned, but I’m sure there are people out there who still make calls.”

“You mean, besides my parents?” I asked, doing my best to stifle a laugh of my own.

“Fair enough. I know I’m a dinosaur. So what else do you want to know?”

I tried to think of the questions I’d come up with at work, but without a phone to put my ideas in, I’d forgotten most of them. God, this whole “phone thing” was already driving me nuts.

“I don’t know. Like, how do you find movie times? Keep up with gossip? I mean, what do you do about porn?”

The last question was out of my mouth before I could stop it.

Gus shifted in his chair, clearly uncomfortable. For the first time since I’d known him, I saw his cheeks turn pink. “Um, well, let’s see, I tend to get all the gossip I can handle from the people who come in here. They keep me up to date on all the local and national stories that grace their Twitter feeds. Keeps me from having to do it myself. Saves me all kinds of time. And”—he leaned in before continuing—“well, as for porn, I do have a laptop at home that I use for, um, certain things.”

I smiled at his answer and his ability to be diplomatic at my incredibly nosy question. He was still a bit too close to me; his blush deepened as he looked at me, the deep brown of his eyes seemed to be flecked with gold. I waited for him to lean back now that his secret was out, but he didn’t. So neither did I.

“Fair enough. I guess you have this whole ‘no phone’ thing down. I’m jealous. Really. I still reach out for my phone every morning like some kind of phantom limb.”

He wrapped his hand around my empty mug, drawing it to his side of the table. “Yeah, I guess I do.”

Gus grinned as he stood, breaking the spell between us, quickly walking the mug back to the counter. He plunked back into the seat, the silly Gus returning. He must have left flirty Gus at the counter.

“Oh, I just realized I never answered your movie question.”

I had all but forgotten that question, the porn question kind of lingering in my mind. I cleared my head of the dirty thoughts that were still cropping up, shaking aside the visions of Gus and his laptop for the moment.

“So, what do you do?”

His smile turned mischievous and my cheeks once again flooded with heat. “Tell you what. Why don’t you meet me at the art house theater on Third Street, say, tomorrow night, around seven and I’ll show you how I manage. Give you a little practical, hands-on instruction.”

I guess I had been wrong about Gus leaving his flirtatiousness at the counter. He’d brought it back to the table after all. And I was so glad he had...

Mates, Inc. by Hurri Cosmo

Congratulations! You have a fated mate!

That’s what the card says. Grey, an Alpha wolf shifter, laughs at it, though. Fated mate? What a joke! He has tried enough dating websites in the last month to choke a horse shifter and he’s done with all of them. Besides, having a mate would mean joining a pack, and that will just bring up a past Grey has no intention of doing.

But Mates, Inc. has an agenda that can not be ignored or put off. Grey has a mate, and the powers that be are determined he’s going to meet him come hell or high water...or a past best forgotten...

Genres: Gay/Dark Fantasy/Werewolf/Shapeshifter/Paranormal/Romantic Comedy
Heat Level: 2
Length: Novella (22k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...Not letting out his wolf as often as he wanted to had made those first few moments in his fur awkward and sluggish. Tonight had been no exception. It had been at least a month. Pretty much ever since he started “dating.”

Another reason to stop that insanity.

Next he took a trail that led off the hill and straight toward the river. He had no intention of actually getting to the river, just grab the trail that ran parallel. That particular trail was clearer of obstacles and he could go full out. He simply wanted to run.

But at some point he also had to think as well. That was the real reason he’d come out here.

He slowed as he neared the water and the primitive path alongside it, then let loose and ran. He wasn’t sure for how long, ten minutes maybe. Finally he came to a clearing, shifted back to his human form and flopped down on the grass. This was also one of the things he missed. Lying naked in the grass after a good run under a rising Mating Moon, even if he wasn’t with someone. He sighed.

No, one night stands were not for him. He knew that. Even being the Alpha that he was, it just wasn’t right for him. To find his fated mate would be like finding heaven. Deep down it was what he had always dreamed of.

So what about this Mates, Inc. then?

First question…was he being watched? Had someone from his old pack come to check up on him since his membership had yet to be transferred? It was actually nice to think they would do something like that but, no. He didn’t think so.

Then what?

Okay. In thinking about it, he could understand the website using the terminology “today” because most people would check out something like that card right away. Even he had done it. It had been a logical guess on their part. If he went on the site tomorrow, it would still say the same thing. And in that case he would not have received the card that day.

Even their knowing Grey was gay wasn’t that big of a mystery. It was probably just a coincidence that the card said “he” and that was what he was into. They didn’t “know” anything.

But the Mating Moon wasn’t always just around the corner. That was the real kicker. There were months in the way of that, so their committing to the just in time thing? Shit. That was just crazy.

Okay, Grey, breathe. Even that was explainable. It was a Were mating/dating site, right? The Mating Moon may not always be around the corner like it was right now but it was always on the way. So maybe even that statement worked. He was just tired, that was all. He had simply had some bad experiences ever since coming to Davenshire. With no pack to rely on, no mate in sight, not to mention the bad luck he’d had in the dating department, that had to be what he was really upset over.

Yeah.

Had to be.

Then he heard a rustle in the woods right beside him. He looked over and saw a small, beautiful wolf staring back at him from the bushes and something clicked inside him.

Mate!

He shifted before he gained his feet, and was suddenly in hot pursuit as the little wolf howled a mating call and took off.

Shit, but he was fast!...

Making a Wish by Shawn Lane

As a kid, Astronomy professor Marty Brooks kept in touch with a pen pal who lived on the other side of the country. Eventually that pen pal stopped responding to Marty’s letters, which always ended with “Making a Wish” for Marty’s love of space.

Now, as adults, Marty and his brother are big fans of a series of famous Sci-Fi movies. They head to a convention for the movie franchise where they hope to meet the hot actors. Marty is especially interested in meeting an actor he knows is openly gay, but instead he bumps into the star of the movies, Sebastian Lookinland, who is gorgeous and not at all the snob Marty anticipated. They instantly connect and it’s obvious the attraction is mutual.

Before long, Marty learns the world really is small when Sebastian reveals he is actually the pen pal from all those years ago. The men instantly begin an affair, although Marty knows it will end when the convention does. But Sebastian isn’t ready to say goodbye and suggests they stay connected through texts, emails, and weekend get-togethers.

Marty can hardly refuse the offer since his heart is already engaged. Will he make a wish for the relationship to last for more than a few weeks?

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

Read a short excerpt...

...His expression turned serious. “I don’t make a habit of publicizing my sexuality either way, but I admit most of the time I’m seen at events it’s with a woman on my arm.”

I nodded. “You dated that actress from that popular television series for a while. Ginger something.”

“Ginger Stevens,” he supplied for me. “Yes. We were pretty serious there for a while.”

“Not just publicity?”

“No.” He shook his head. “Truth is, so-called celebrity relationships never last that long. It’s especially bad when both are actors. It adds an element of ego I think that works against it.”

“And now?”

“Now?”

“Are you dating anyone?”

“No, Marty. Do you think I’d invite you up here like this if I was?”

“I’m not really up on celebrity behavior.”

“I’m not just a celebrity to you, though. We were friends once. Weren’t we?”

“Pen pal friends, yeah.” I smiled. “A lot has changed for you.”

“And for you, Marty. You’re some hot college professor now. The stuff of fantasies.”

“Or pornos,” I joked.

“Now you’ve gone and put definite images in my head.” He took his first sip of his brandy since he poured it. “You are really hot. And I don’t think there’s any point in pretending we don’t both know why I asked you up here.”

I licked my suddenly dry lips. “You do get right to the point. Do you prefer Sebastian or Spencer? Privately, I mean.”

“Sebastian. I left Spencer behind.” He put his glass on the coffee table in front of the sofa and got to his feet. He held out his hand for me to grasp, then pulled me up. “Come on.”

Sebastian led me to the bedroom on the right and I had a moment where both the alcohol and the idea that I was about to go to bed with Sebastian Lookinland had my head swimming.

I barely glanced at the room—it was large—with an even larger bed and a bathroom off to the left that I was pretty sure on close inspection would be larger than half my house.

But both of us were interested in the bed at that moment and nothing else. He went to a suitcase he had propped up on one of those folding suitcase stands all hotels had and removed a bottle of lube and a strip of condom packages.

“You come prepared,” I couldn’t help saying.

“Well.” He shrugged. “Does it bother you?”

Sebastian owed me nothing. And anyway, I was benefitting from it, wasn’t I?

“No. The only thing I want to know, am I fucking you or are you fucking me?” My lips curved in an anticipatory smile. “What is your preference?”

“My wish is your command?”

“I’d love to command you...”

Beachcombers Giveaway Winner

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to play in the surf with us! Without further ado, the winner of our giveaway is...

Sula!

I have your address, so expect an email from us soon.

Blurbs and excerpts start getting posted on Monday for our next pax release, "Perfect Connections." Make sure you poke your nose in to get a taste!

Surf's Up! by Carolina Valdez

Although I grew up on southern California beaches—and had a daughter who attended a San Diego university only because surfing classes met the physical education requirement—my surfer lingo was rusty. A thousand thanks to John Baker and his site cougartown.com/surf-slang.html for refreshing my memory.

I set Surf’s Up! in Encinitas, California, because it’s a charming Pacific coast town I’ve vacationed in. It has six beaches, eighteen parks, three trails and a golf course. The adjoining seaside town of Del Mar—home of a famous  Thoroughbred race club—is two blocks south of condos I’ve stayed in….none of which were designed by my fictional architect and businessman, Raven.

Carolina Valdez

THE STORY

Closeted and successful, Native American Raven isn’t happy when his gay best friend from their boyhood on the rez stumbles back into his life. Raven sees the penniless drunk Hunter as a loser, yet this encounter forces him to question some of his strongest held beliefs about life. Is he up to the challenge? Will he open himself up and live life more fully?    

EXCERPT

When he saw Hunter strip off his wet swim trunks at the condo’s doorstep, he was surprised to feel his damned dick betraying him by stirring. Hunter stepped inside, and Raven stripped quickly, bending over to gather up their dripping swim things to hide his raging, hungry cock. 

He wasn’t fast enough. The door opened and he froze. There he was, his ass in plain sight, balls swinging, his hard-on pointing at the sky.  

Raven couldn’t breathe. He struggled between embarrassment and a powerful desire to turn and claim what he’d been denied this morning. He straightened.

Hunter stepped in close behind him. His breath warmed Raven’s cool neck. 

Neither of them spoke.

Hunter smelled of the salty sea as he spread a warm hand over one of Raven’s cool butt cheeks, his palm caressing the natural dip there. He squeezed hard, and Raven enjoyed the slight pain cutting through all the exotic sexual feelings he was having. Hunter’s mouth sought and tasted the sensitive skin below his ear as the hand on his hip slid around to rub his engorged, aching cock and finger the slit on its tip. 

It felt so good that Raven thought his knees would give way. Emotion created a tremor in his voice when he said, “I think we’d better go inside.” 

http://www.CarolinaValdez.com
http://fingerstothekeys.wordpress.com

*_*_*

Surf's Up! by Carolina Valdez is now available at Amber Allure.

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