Saturday, December 16, 2017

The Lady is a Thief Release Day

The Lady is a Thief is #LIVE

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BLURB

Detective Elijah Markham has decided to trade big city danger for sleepy town charm. He quickly learns that small towns harbor deadly secrets, and the biggest threat to Elijah may prove to be the sexy lady who lives next door. Guarding his turbulent heart could be his biggest challenge if he falls captive to her irresistible charms.

Maegan Miracle seemingly has the perfect life. She has a successful career, amazing friends, and a family that adores her, but it’s not enough to erase the loneliness she hides behind a brilliant smile. Maegan’s world is turned upside down when she becomes a potential target in a twisted killer’s cat and mouse games. The only man who can save her is the same one that threatens her peaceful existence.
Passion and lust override doubt and suspicion, igniting a flame that’s hot enough to consume them and torch the town. Something that burns so hot and fast won’t last…or will it? If they want a chance to find out, they’ll need to stop a killer before it’s too late.

The Lady is a Thief is the first book in The Lady is Mine Trilogy. It’s a scorching-hot story filled with humor, mystery, and lovable characters that will make you want to pack your bags and move to Blissville.





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EXCERPT


Did this sack of shit actually think I was pathetic enough to go on a date with him after what he’d done to me last year? Looking at him right then, I couldn’t even remember why I was even attracted to him in the first place. His height and looks were average and nothing to get excited over. He certainly didn’t have the rugged, bad boy look and his shoulders weren’t as broad as a linebacker’s. I never called Clayton’s name in the throes of passion—not with a vibrator, and definitely not with him, because he was the kind of lover who wasn’t a member of the Ladies First Club. Not to sound cruel, but he was a three-pump- chump. Afterward, he had the audacity to blame his short performance on me. He’d never had someone so tight and hot, yada yada yada. As if that was going to impress me.

“I’m not going anywhere with you, Clayton. Not tonight and not ever.”

“Darling, is this attitude left over from the little misunderstanding we had last year?” His smarmy voice made me want to puke. Misunderstanding? Is that what sleazebags called it these days? “Come out with me tonight, so I can make it up to you.” That pleading expression on his face was everything I dreamed of for years, but not anymore.

“Sloppy seconds just aren’t my style, Clayton. Move along before this gets really embarrassing for you.”

“Maegan…”

“I believe the lady asked you to leave.” Elijah!

Oh God! That voice! I nearly spontaneously orgasmed right on the spot. I didn’t risk
turning around and looking at him for fear of making an ass of myself. I kept my eyes on
Clayton’s surprised face instead. I waited for his eyes to return to me so that he saw how serious I was. “I did ask you to leave, and I meant it.”

“I’ll call you later.”

“No, you won’t,” Elijah and I said at the same time.

“Who the fuck are you?” Clayton asked the newcomer. He’s the man who can make me come without trying.

I felt the heat radiating off Elijah’s body as he approached and heard leather shifting before I felt the pressure of his hand on my shoulder. I closed my eyes because it felt so right.

“Who I am isn’t important,” Elijah said in a deadly calm voice. “Leave this store and do not bother her again.”

“See you around, Maegan,” Clayton said as he beat a hasty retreat out the door. I figured his next move was to call his sister and demand to know who Elijah was to me. I gave it ten minutes tops before Vanessa dialed my cell phone and eleven minutes before she called the shop’s landline when I didn’t answer my cell.

I expected Elijah to drop his hand once Clayton left, but he didn’t. Instead, he massaged my neck in small circles with his thumb. A small whimper escaped my parted lips and my head fell forward, giving him more access. A warm chuckle rumbled out of his chest and he raised his other hand to my neck and deepened his massage.

“Don’t stop,” I whispered, not recognizing the husky voice as my own.

“I’ve been wanting to hear you say that since the moment we met.”

                          AMAZON: US/UK

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Release Day for Someone to Call My Own

YAY - It's Release Day for Someone To Call My Own.  
I hope you love Emory and Jonathon as much as I did writing their story.   

Someone-to-Call-My-Own-customdesign-JayAheer2017-eBook-cover

PHOTOGRAPHER: Wander Aguiar

COVER ARTIST:  Jay Aheer/Simply Defined Art

BLURB
Psychic Emory Jackson and former black ops specialist Jonathon Silver are men from two completely different worlds with one thing in common: heartbreak. Emory still mourns the loss of his husband five years prior, and Jon is reeling with grief from the recent death of his twin brother.

Sparks fly when mutual friends introduce them, but it’s so much more than basic attraction. There’s an undeniable awareness and a sense of belonging that neither man can deny. Despite Emory’s premonition of a future with Jon, he has vowed never to love again. Jon is convinced that his tainted soul is the reason he will never have someone to call his own. What if they’re both wrong?

Maybe these broken men with their jagged edges could somehow align perfectly to form something whole and beautiful. But will that realization come too late for them?


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EXCERPT

    “I think we need to clear the air,” Jonathon said in a calm, rational voice.

    “There’s nothing to clear,” I countered. “I’m nothing to you; you’re nothing to me.”
    
    “You think it’s that simple?” Jonathon took two steps toward me. I took three steps back. Jon jerked to a stop when he saw my reaction. “Emory…” He broke off and ran both his hands through his hair. “I know you felt it the night we met. I saw your eyes widen in surprise when the electricity shot through our bodies.”

    “So.” Denying it existed wasn’t working. It was time to change tactics. “That doesn’t mean I want or will act on it.” I ran my hand over the infinity tattoo I had inked over my heart. It felt like River’s name was burning my skin like he knew the truth and was calling me a liar.  Or, maybe it was anxiety that gripped my heart in its tight fist. Whatever the reason, I felt lightheaded and dizzy. Suddenly, my body felt cold and hot at the same time, and tiny little needles pricked my skin from head to toe. I licked my lips that had suddenly gone dry and numb.

    “Emory?” I heard Jonathon’s voice, but it sounded like he was calling to me at the end of a very long tunnel instead of five feet away. He walked toward me, but I kept backing away. I hoped he would stop, but I saw the determination in his eyes. “Emory, I just want to help you.”

    “Then leave,” I wheezed between gasps.

    “I’d never leave anyone alone in this condition,” Jonathon said angrily. “Now be quiet and let me help you.” He gripped my bicep firmly, but not painfully, and guided me to a kitchen chair. He gently set me in the chair then placed his hand on my stomach beneath the center of my ribs and the other on my chest. I burned beneath his touch. I wrapped my hands around his thick wrists and tried to push his hands off of me. “Stop it, Emory,” he said firmly. “You’re hyperventilating, and I can help you. I. Will. Not. Hurt. You.”

    Hot tears of humiliation flowed freely down my face. No one had ever seen me in the midst of a panic attack and I’d always been able to pull myself out of them on my own. That one was different, and I knew I needed help.

    “Ignore my hands on your body, but look into my eyes and listen to me.” His demanding, deep voice was nearly hypnotic. “Inhale deeply through your nose, Emory. Hold it for a count of three and release it slowly. When you do, you’ll feel my hands moving up and down with your lungs, and your brain will recognize you’re breathing even before the fresh oxygen pushes the carbon dioxide out of your body. Do it with me, Emory.”

    I breathed in slowly, held it for three seconds, and released it. I focused on the way his hands moved up and down with my breathing and pretended that I expelled all the bad energy with every exhale. I repeated the process ten or twelve times before I was completely calm again.

    Jonathon pulled his hands off of me and balled them into fists. He didn’t look angry or like he wanted to hit me. It looked like he needed to do something with his hands but wasn’t sure what. He lowered himself into a chair beside me.

    “What caused your panic attack?”

    “You,” I replied sullenly.

    “Emory, I haven’t done anything to you so why would the sight of me cause you to panic?” Jonathon sounded truly baffled and a little insulted.

    I knew it would take drastic measures to push him away, so I let him have it with both barrels. “I had a psychic vision about you—well. Us.”

Enter the Giveaway below

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Thank you so much for the love and support.  
You all mean the world to me!!!!
xoxo Aimee

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Someone to Call My Own Teaser #5

 We are just one week away from the release of Someone to Call My Own. I'm equal parts nervous and excited for you to read about Jon and Emory's relationship.

I must thank the lovely and talented Jay Aheer for yet another amazing teaser! She's amazing to work with!



Many of you have asked when you can preorder the book. It should be available for preorder on Aug 30th or 31st. I will post the preorder links once they're available. Until next time...

XOXO

Aimee

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Someone to Call My Own Teaser #4

I'm back with another beautiful teaser from Jay Aheer. Two more weeks until Jon and Emory are in your hands!



I'll be back next week with more! Until then, I wish you peace and love!

XOXO

Aimee

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Someone to Call My Own Teaser #3

I'm back with another beautiful teaser created by the talented Jay Aheer. Ready for a tease from Jon Silver?



Jon and Emory turned out to be one of my favorite couples, even though I honestly never planned for either of them. I was caught completely by surprise when Emory moved into the house next to Josh because I had decided not to include him in the series. I didn't know that Jon Silver was walking into our lives until he strolled into that restaurant. In both instances, I sat back in my chair and stared at my computer in surprise. I learned a long time ago that the best things often come into my life unexpectedly. I'm glad these two guys forced their way into my heart, and I hope they find a home in yours too. 

Until next week...

XOXO

Aimee

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Someone to Call My Own Teasers 2 & 3

There are just four more weeks until Someone to Call my Own goes live. This book is really special to me, and I can't wait to share it with you.

Here are the beautiful teasers that Jay Aheer of Simply Defined Art made for us.



Aren't they beautiful? I hope you enjoyed this little peep into Jon and Emory's book. I'll be back next week with another teaser. Until then, I wish you much peace and happiness in your life.

XOXO

Aimee

Friday, August 4, 2017

All Kind of Blissville Goodness

Hello, everyone!  I'm back again with a more positive post.

Today, I'm going to share the two bonus chapters for Josh and Gabe that are in the back of Universal Love for those who haven't read the first book in the spinoff series. I'm also going to reveal the beautiful cover and first teaser for Someone to Call My Own, which is Jon and Emory's story.

**Bonus Chapters for Josh and Gabe**

Josh

            “We’re home, Dylan and Destiny,” Gabe softly said when he pushed the button to shut off the engine. “There’s a lot of people waiting inside our house to meet you.”

            I turned and looked into the back seat of my snazzy, dark red Land Rover I affectionately called Duchess. Our sleeping newborns weren’t paying a bit of attention to what their daddy said. I traded in my convertible Mini Cooper once we found out the babies were going to be a reality. I couldn’t fit two car seats in the back of Princess, so changes were required. I loved the luxuriousness and sleekness of my new ride, so I was hardly complaining. “You didn’t just get two dads; you got an entire village of people who will love you,” I told my babies.

            “Can we go inside now? I can’t wait to show my babies off,” my mom asked.

            My new snazzy ride came with third-row seating, which happened to be filled with two proud grandmothers who came home with us from Florida.

            “Got that straight, Bertie,” Martina said. “I can’t wait to sleep in a real bed.”

            We’d spent two days on the road driving home from Florida, and everyone was ready to feel a sense of normalcy. Well, the babies were too busy sleeping to notice much of anything. We had spent the previous night at a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. Gabe’s birth mother, Bonita, and his three sisters, Selena, Marisol, and Arianna, joined us for dinner and hung out back in our room so they could fuss over Dylan and Destiny.

            “Our hotel room had a real bed in it,” Gabe remarked. “Yours didn’t?”

            “Stop being a wise ass, Gabriel,” Martina said. “You know damn well those hotels don’t provide beds and sheets as nice as the ones Josh does.” Martina knew who was responsible for making the in-law suites so comfy.

            “I hope you know they’re never going to leave now,” Gabe whispered in mock-horror to me. Then he looked at his doting mother and said, “You should watch your mouth around the babies.”

            “You need to be more worried about your birds,” my mother countered. She wasn’t wrong either.

            The garage door to the house flew open, and the excited faces of our friends filled the frame. It wasn’t that long ago that I lived above the salon, had no love to speak of, and didn’t know half of the people who waited eagerly to welcome our children home.

            “The ladies are looking a little impatient,” I said when I saw Meredith, Sally Ann, and Deanna’s faces.

            “Not as impatient as the ones cramped in the third row of this SUV,” Martina said.

            I knew we needed to get out and show off our babies, but this felt like the last minutes that the babies would be just ours. Gabe and I had stayed in a suite with them for a few days at the hospital since they were born a little early. Neither of us wanted to close our eyes and sleep because we didn’t want to miss a second. They were our little miracles and the precious little pieces that made our family complete. We knew we needed to share, but for that brief time, we wanted to be selfish and hold them against our chests and just breathe them in. Sitting in the garage felt like that too. Our babies would never lack love and affection with the amazing group of friends that we shared our lives with every day.

            Suddenly, there was a stir in the middle of the group, and the bodies started shifting. I smiled when I saw Mama Richmond elbow her way to the front of the gathering. She still wore her Sunday finest complete with an ornate hat. “Boy, are you going to come out on your own or do I need to snatch you out by your hair?”

            Gabe and I pointed at one another. “She’s talking to you,” we said simultaneously.

            Neither of us was willing to take a chance and unbuckled our seatbelts. Gabe and I each grabbed a car seat and assisted our mothers out. As soon as they were free, they grabbed the car seats from us and headed inside.

            “Grab our suitcases, Gabe,” Martina said.

            “Don’t forget the diaper bags,” my mother added.

            Gabe and I stood in the garage looking at one another as everyone followed our mothers into the house. “Hey, you want to?” Gabe asked. “First minute we’ve had alone since the babies were born.”

            “Get used to it,” John said from the doorway. I hadn’t seen or heard him come back. “I haven’t had sex in three years.”

            “Want to make it three more?” Deanna asked her husband.

            “Damn, she hears everything,” he mumbled then turned to go inside.

            We were once again alone, and Gabe took advantage of the moment to back me up against the SUV. “Do you have any idea how happy you’ve made me?” He cupped my face in his big hands just the way I liked. The only thing that made me melt even more inside was when his strong hands cradled our babies safely against him.

            “It sounded like you were complaining about the lack of sex a minute ago.” I looped my arms around Gabe’s neck and rose on my tiptoes. “I’ll settle for one of your toe-curling kisses for the time being,” I whispered against his lips.

            Gabe lowered his head to close the tiny distance between us and kissed me just the way I liked. Slow and tender at first followed by hot, wet, and hard as our passion built. If I wasn’t careful, something else was going to get wet and hard, and we had a house full of people to contend with before we could even think about sex. Still, I didn’t want to let go of the moment, so I kissed him until someone cleared their throat to remind us that we weren’t alone.

            I turned my head and saw that my mom was standing in the doorway. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Your father still corners me…”

            “Mom, please don’t finish that sentence,” I begged.

            She smiled broadly at my discomfort. “Diaper bags, please.”

            Gabe hoisted the bulk of the luggage while I grabbed the rest plus the diaper bags, and together we made our way inside the house. We dropped our bags in the kitchen and followed the sounds of the cooing until we found everyone gathering around the two car seats they’d propped up on the coffee table. Like it had every day for the past two weeks, my heart stuttered to a stop in my chest for a brief second when I looked at our children. We’d been parents for a whopping fourteen days, yet I could hardly remember a time without them. That’s how fast we fell in love with our kids.

            “You know, I wasn’t sure I could do it,” I said to Gabe.

            “Do what, Sunshine?”

            “Love another living soul as much as I love you, but there are two more that I can’t imagine my life without now. It’s like you’re all tethered to me by an invisible string; a part of me.”

            Gabe wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side. “You’re just tapping into the well of love you have inside you.”

            Normally, I wouldn’t have liked getting so personal with a large gathering around, but they didn’t know we existed. At least our friends were waiting patiently for our sleeping beauties to wake instead of just snatching them out of their seats. I knew how hard that was to do and sometimes I was guilty of lifting them out of their bassinettes while they slept because I just needed to hold them and know that it was all real.

            I looked at the faces of each of the people smiling down at our infants. They all brought something unique to our lives and made us better people. John and Adrian started out as Gabe’s co-workers, but we couldn’t love them more if they were our flesh and blood. Emory and Jonathon were the newest members of our group, but it felt like I’d known them my entire life. It seemed to me that their sadness faded a little bit more each time they came around, but I thought it had more to do with the undeniable attraction between them rather than anything Gabe or I had done. I hoped one day they’d stop pretending and start accepting that something special could develop between them. Mere and Chaz were the brother and sister I never had, and I was so happy to see them in love and planning exciting futures. Mere and Harley were engaged and planning a wedding. I expected to hear news out of… Wait a minute!

            “Chaz Bailey Hamilton,” I said loudly, mimicking Mere’s tone she used when he was in trouble. “What is that round, shiny metal thing on the ring finger of your left hand?” I marched forward with my hands on my hips. “Did you get engaged and not tell me.”

            “Um…” Chaz rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Well…”

            “It’s not a particularly hard question,” I told him.

            “No, I didn’t keep my engagement from you,” Chaz said sheepishly. “I got married and didn’t tell you.”

            “Married?” we all asked at the same time.

            “Why in the world didn’t you tell us?” Meredith asked.

            “I can’t believe you got married without us,” I said in shock.

            “Wow! When did this happen?” Gabe asked them.

            We peppered them with one question after the other, but they didn’t seem to hear us. Chaz and Kyle were too busy staring into one another’s eyes while wearing sappy smiles. All the fussing did, however, wake the babies and they cried to show how unhappy they were at having their slumber disturbed.

            “Look what you two did,” I said jokingly to Kyle and Chaz. “You woke the babies.” Gabe and I moved in to sweep up our children, but Mere and Deanna elbowed us out of the way.

            “Now now,” Meredith softly said as she held Destiny against her chest. “Auntie Mere has you now, beautiful girl.”

            “Oh, such a sweet boy you are, Dylan,” Deanna said to our son as she rubbed gentle circles against his back. Dylan was always more vocal and harder to calm down, but Deanna had the magic touch.

            The room got quiet once again except for all the baby talk from the two women, but the peacefulness didn’t last long.

            “You woke the babies!” Savage screeched from his perch in his fancy solarium. “Fucknuggets!”

            Sassy began mimicking a crying baby. I had to admit she sounded just like them.

            “Dirty Bird!” I turned to face Gabe. “I thought you worked out a deal with your bird.”

            “He was your bird long before I walked into your salon.”

            “He’s Big Daddy’s boy now,” I countered. “I thought he was going to play nice from now on.”

            “I can control that bird’s mouth about as much as I can control you,” Gabe said dryly. “I’ll work on it.”

            “We’re a family now!” Savage squawked proudly, making me smile. Gabe had taught him a host of new sayings, and we repeated them all the time in the hope of pushing out his foul vocabulary.

            “Family of fucknuggets!” Sassy added.

            “Gonna wash your mouth out with soap, cock badger!” Savage added.

            I threw up my hands. “It’s hopeless.”

            Gabe looked at me with wide eyes. “I never called him a cock badger.”

            “I’ll ask their pediatrician about fitting them with ear plugs,” I told him.

            The birds settled back down while the babies were gently passed around like precious party favors. I made a beeline for Kyle and Chaz once they were done making googly eyes at my kids. Gabe was right on my heels probably ready to intervene if I got too huffy. “You have some serious explaining to do!”

            “It just felt right,” Chaz said with a shrug. “We went to Las Vegas for New Year’s Eve and got caught up in the excitement of the moment. A new year seemed like the right time to start a new life.”

            “It sounds romantic and sweet, but why didn’t you tell any of us?” Gabe asked.

            “We stayed in Las Vegas for five days then went to Cabo San Lucas for ten days and just got back ourselves,” Kyle said. “We told our families this morning, and now we’re telling our friends. We’re going to have a reception party to celebrate properly.”

            “Just wow,” I replied. I opened my arms and hugged Chaz. “I’m so damn happy for you. Your writing career is taking off, and you finally took Dr. Dimples by the…”

            “Josh,” Gabe said in a warning tone.

            “…hand and took that leap. I’m going to miss seeing you every day at the shop, but I am so proud of you, Chaz. Don’t you forget about us.”

            “Like you could get rid of me,” he replied, hugging me tighter. “I’m so happy for you too, Jazz.”

            “Let me in,” Mere said. Chaz and I opened our arms so she could join us in a group hug. “You’re my tribe, my ride or die, and the most amazing men I know.”

            “We’re not all that,” I told her, rumpling her hair.

            “But we’ll do in a pinch,” Chaz added.

            “I’m glad you said that because I need to ask you guys for a favor,” Meredith said. “I would like for both of you to give me away in May when I get married.”

            Meredith’s father had passed away when she was a young girl, and she didn’t have any living male relatives. Her request meant the world to me and moved me to tears. I looked at Chaz, and I figured my expression was just as dopey as his.

            “Oh, Mere,” I said, “We’d be honored to give you away.”

            “We’ve been waiting to do it for a long time,” Chaz added. “Wait, that might’ve sounded wrong.”

            “Still holding a grudge, I see,” Meredith said after she stopped laughing herself silly. She was referring to the way Chaz resented her arrival in town our first year of high school because he suddenly had to share my friendship with someone else.

            “I honestly didn’t mean it the way it sounded.” Chaz was prone to say the absolute worst things at the wrong time. “I meant that your finding your Prince Charming has been a long time coming. I’d be honored to share in your special day.”

            The doorbell rang, and Harley yelled, “Food’s here.”

            “Aw, you guys ordered us dinner?” I asked.

            “It’s just pizza,” Chaz said. “None of us can cook quite to your standards yet.”

            “Salad too,” Kyle added.

            “It was pizza or Deanna would make something from the grocer’s freezer section.” John tilted his head to the side and asked, “Do you make your lasagna homemade Josh?”

            “Yes, sir,” I replied. “I even make my own pasta.”

            “John,” Deanna yelled from the kitchen. “No one is entering any more cooking or baking contests!”

            “Damn it, woman. Do you hear everything?” John asked as he headed for the kitchen to sweet talk his wife.

            “That will be us in a few years,” I told Gabe.

            “Probably a few months,” he countered.

            “Hey, you want to sneak off…”

            Our babies started crying again, and it was louder than the first bout, which meant they either had full diapers, empty bellies, or both. We looked at each other and grinned. “Raincheck,” we said at the same time.

            I suspected we would be saying that word to each other many times over the next eighteen years or longer. I knew we’d be okay as long as we carved out time for one another. Instead of heading into the kitchen, we walked over to where our babies were kicking up a fuss in their seats.

            Gabe and I had the diaper changing down to an art and had the kids redressed and ready to feed in a jiffy. The grandmas came out of the kitchen with fresh bottles and snatched the babies from us. I pouted a little because feeding time was my favorite. I loved the little grunts they made as they greedily drank from their bottles.

            “Go get something to eat,” Martina said. “Bertie and I have this under control.”

            We followed the smell of delicious cheesy pizza and the sound of happy voices in our home. Emory stepped out of the kitchen and nodded his head to the side. “Can I talk to you guys for a minute?” His timid smile and the nervousness I heard in his voice worried me.      

                 
 Gabe

            “Is something wrong?” I asked Emory. I glanced over at Josh and saw that he was nibbling on his bottom lip nervously, which meant he picked up on our neighbor’s mood.

            “No,” Emory said unconvincingly. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m leaving town for a little bit to take care of some personal things. I don’t like to just drop out of sight without telling you.” Emory’s voice cracked, and he broke eye contact to look down at his shoes.

            Josh stepped up to Emory and placed his hands on his shoulders. I didn’t thump my chest or growl because I could tell Josh was trying to comfort our friend. “Emory, there’s something obviously wrong. Won’t you tell us?”

            Emory raised his head slowly and attempted to smile. “Maybe it’s right,” he replied cryptically.

            “Is this like the last time you left before our wedding?” Josh asked. Emory had told Josh the Monday before the wedding that he needed to leave town to do something but promised to return for our ceremony. Emory honored that promise. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something about this trip was different from the last. “You’re coming back, right?”

            “I hope so,” Emory said noncommittally. “But if not, I want you to know that your friendship has come to mean the world to me. The two of you have restored my faith in humanity.”

            “Emory, is there anything we can do to help you?” I asked. He was clearly torn up about something, and I wanted him to know he didn’t have to go through it alone.

            “I appreciate that so much, Gabe, but unfortunately, this is something that I’ll have to do alone.” Emory hugged Josh first then me. “I love you both. I’m sorry that I ruined your first night home with the babies. It’s just I leave first thing in the morning, and I couldn’t go without saying goodbye.”

            “So long for now. You’ll be back, Emory,” Josh said confidently. He added a wink and added, “I know things.”

            Emory smiled at Josh’s attempt at a joke, but it didn’t reach his eyes. I was a fix-it kind of guy, and I wanted to help make things better for my friend. I recognized that I couldn’t make everything right in the world, no matter how hard I tried. The only thing I could do was be patient and let Emory know how much we valued his friendship. “There will always be a place for you at our table, no matter how long it takes you to find your way back to us.”

            I was aiming for assurance, but instead, my words made Emory cry. I tried to apologize, but he shook his head and left. I started to follow him, but a firm hand on my shoulder stopped me.

            “I got this, Gabe,” Jonathon said. “You guys enjoy your welcome home party, and I’ll take care of Emory. Congratulations on your beautiful new additions to your family.” Jonathon didn’t wait around for us to respond.

            Josh and I looked at each other in shock. “What just happened?” he asked me.

            I wrapped my arm around my husband and pulled him to me. I dropped a kiss on his forehead before I answered him. “I have no idea. I don’t like it, but I don’t think there’s anything we can do to make him stay.”

            “Lock him in the scary room downstairs,” Josh teased. I couldn’t hide the shiver that worked its way through my body. “Too soon, Gabe?”

            I pinned him with a dark look. I didn’t think enough time would ever pass before I got over being bashed over the head and knocked out in that creepy cellar. Josh had the room sealed off before we moved in because he knew how much I hated it.

            “Come on, you two, and eat something while you can,” Sally Ann said from the kitchen. “You need to take advantage of the help when offered. Don’t be saintly fathers who try to do it all.”

            “Absolutely,” Deanna agreed. “When someone offers to watch the babies so you can nap then do it.”

            “Or some other bedroom activity,” Adrian offered. “It’s a long dry spell, brothers.”

            Josh snorted. “Not for us; we didn’t give birth to the babies.”

            Adrian tipped his head to the side and said, “True, but there’s precious little alone time with newborns in the house.”

            I just shook my head, certain that they were just exaggerating. “They have to sleep sometimes,” I replied.

            “Who said they’d sleep on the same schedule?” John countered.

            Josh and I looked at one another in panic. Oh my God! What if one of them slept all day and stayed up all night while the other did the exact opposite? I felt panic start to creep in that I would never sleep or have sex until the kids were ten or older.

            John and Adrian must’ve thought it was hilarious because they threw their heads back and roared with laughter.

            “Now they get it,” John said.

            “I bet I’ll see a whole lot less swagger and more stagger out of Gabe these next few months—maybe even years,” Adrian added.

            Their comments started up a new round of laughter. They were so busy slapping each other on the backs and laughing it up that they didn’t notice their wives’ reactions. Deanna and Sally Ann wore matching expressions of disgust and outrage.

            “I wasn’t aware that our children were such a burden to you, John. If you weren’t getting any then how is it we had multiple children?” she asked icily.

            “Baby, I’m just joking. You know I love our little cockblockers,” John said to his wife. His tone was appeasing but not his language. I was glad they had found a babysitter for the night, although John was an amazing father and would never say something like that in front of the little Dorchesters.

            “I guess it’s not a good time to tell you that you’re going to be a father again,” Sally Ann said to Adrian then promptly burst into tears.

            “What?” Adrian asked, sobering immediately. “Oh my God! Are you teasing me right now?” Adrian scooped Sally Ann up into a hug. “Do you promise?”

            Sally Ann was still crying but at least she was smiling and nodding happily.

            “Damn, I hope Adrian doesn’t lose his shit in the birthing suite like he did last time,” I said fondly.

            “Or Sally Ann’s head starts spinning in circles while she spews foul language and talks about dudes carrying babies in their prostates and squeezing it out their asses,” Josh added. He winked at Sally Ann who laughed hysterically. “I told you that I’d never let you live it down.”

            “That you did.” Sally Ann looked at Adrian and said, “I’m sorry I told you this way. I had every intention of doing something cutesy.”

            “I don’t need cutesy,” he replied softly.

            Josh and I congratulated the expectant couple with hugs before we made our way to the pizza. It felt like months instead of hours since I last ate. The cheesy, greasy pizza was just what the doctor ordered.

            Adrian came over after everyone finished fawning all over him. “Hey, I want to talk to you about a few things, but wasn’t sure it was the right time to talk shop.”

            A cop was never truly off duty. “What’s up? Any leads on the break-ins?”

            “Nothing, man. They stopped as fast as they started. It’s frustrating as hell,” Adrian replied.

            “Then what’s on your mind?” I asked.

             “There was a pretty big announcement in the police department while you were gone.”

            “There was?” I was shocked that Adrian didn’t call me right away if it was so serious.

            “Captain Reardon has decided to run against Rocky Beaumont in the May primary election,” Adrian told us. “There is no opposition party on the ballot at this time so if the captain wins, and I think he will, our captain will be mayor.”

            “And that leaves his position at the police department open. Are you going to apply?” I asked him. Was he trying to let me down easy?

            “No, but I want you to apply for the position,” Adrian said.

            “Me? I’ve been here the shortest amount of time. You have more seniority here than I do,” I argued.

            “Gabe, you have a lot more experience, and you have a better temperament for the job. I hate to lose you as a partner, but I’d love to see you take over our department if the captain is elected as mayor.”

            “I’m honored, Adrian. I love being out in the field, and I’ve never really given much thought to moving up the ranks. I mean, I’ve taken the appropriate tests so that it could happen, but I never thought it would.” I thought about how much my life had changed in a year and realized maybe a little more change was on the horizon.

            “Captain Roman-Wyatt,” Josh said, testing to see how it sounded. “I like it.”

            “It does sound kind of snazzy.”

            “And think of the names I can call you when you’re bad. Captain Cock Badger!”

            “I’m never bad,” I rebutted.

            “Oh, you are, but in a very good way.”

            “Sally Ann, let's get our pizza to go,” Adrian said. “The love birds want some alone time.”  We hadn’t said anything, but now that he mentioned it…

            “Yeah, grab some pizza and get out,” Josh said. “The grandmas have this under control for a few minutes.”

            “Few minutes,” I whined. Who was I kidding? By that point, I’d settle for a hand job in the laundry room and a few seconds would be all it took.

            It was amazing how quickly our friends cleared out of our house. My mom and Bertie entered the kitchen burping the twins on their shoulders. They looked around the empty kitchen in surprise.

            “Where’d everyone go?” Bertie asked. She looked at Josh with narrowed eyes. “Did you fart, Joshy?”

            “Mom, seriously?” my husband asked. “Of all the things you could accuse me of doing to clear a room, your first guess was farting?” Bertie just shrugged.

            “Oh, I think I know.” My mom’s dark eyes twinkled. “You told them you wanted some alone time while the babies were preoccupied. I reckon no one was getting much action in the hospital suite or while you bunked down with the babies in the hotel rooms on the drive home.”

            “Ohhhh,” Bertie said, “they are turning an interesting shade of red. I don’t think I recall Joshy every looking that embarrassed.”

            “You boys go on upstairs and get busy. We got the babies covered,” my mom told us.

            I thought it was great that our moms were so hip about the fact that we wanted sexy time together, but I doubted either of us would get an erection knowing that our moms were downstairs waiting for us to finish.”

            Josh and I looked at each other and exchanged grins. “Nah, we’re good,” we both said at the same time.

            “Suit yourself,” Bertie said, “but blue balls can be very painful. Plus you want a healthy prostate for optimal—”

            “Not another word, Roberta,” Josh tersely said. I’d never heard him address his mother by her first name. “We’re very familiar with things like blue balls and prostate health. I need you to stop thinking about them so that I won’t think about you thinking about them. I’m at risk of never getting another erection as long as I live.”

            “Jeesh, you don’t have to be so testy with me,” she replied petulantly.

            As much as we loved our mothers, we lived in pretty tight quarters the past few days. I thought it would be best for a little break. “Why don’t you get a bite to eat while we give the babies their baths?”

            I didn’t care that we hadn’t grabbed a bite to eat for ourselves and that my stomach was threatening to eat itself. I wanted a happy husband who’d be able to get it up as soon as our children fell back to sleep.

            I took Destiny from my mother and Josh took Dylan from his. Bertie kissed Josh’s cheek then whispered something in his ear.

            “I’m sorry too, Mama,” he said softly.  

            I appreciated their help more than I could express, but I was eager to get into a routine with our angels. Josh and I quickly got into a rhythm together just like we did everything. He washed then I dried and dressed them. Once they were ready for bed, we tucked them in and watched over them for a few minutes as they slept.

            I brushed my finger against Dylan’s soft cheek then Destiny’s. “Only your daughter would insist on having her own birthday,” I said.

            “No, your son didn’t get with the program. He had to arrive at eleven fifty on New Year's Eve when the whole world knew they were supposed to be New Year’s babies,” Josh replied. “So impatient like his father.”

            “Me? I’m the epitome of patience. Look how much crap I took from you while I waited for you to come around.” Josh smiled sheepishly at me. He had no comeback because he knew it was true. “There are moments in my life when I felt like someone was watching over me, guiding me perhaps. It was never a spiritual feeling like God or a guardian angel; it felt different.”

            “Like a big brother watching over you?” Josh asked.

            “Yeah, I guess that sums it up right. Is that just wishful thinking that I want Dylan to know that he lives on in our son, or how we named Destiny to honor Bianca and Georgia bringing us together?”

            “Who’s to say that they’re not watching us right now?” Josh asked. He tipped his head to the side thoughtfully before he looked up toward the heavens. “Now would be a good time to look away. I’d like to have some alone time with my husband.” Josh looked at me and said, “That is if you want…”

            I didn’t let him finish his sentence. I took him to our bedroom and showed him what I wanted. I was better with actions than words anyway.


            “O Captain! My Captain!” Josh whispered.


**Cover, Blurb, and Teaser for Someone to Call My Own**





Psychic Emory Jackson and former black ops specialist Jonathon Silver are men from two completely different worlds with one thing in common: heartbreak. Emory still mourns the loss of his husband five years prior, and Jon is reeling with grief from the recent death of his twin brother.

Sparks fly when mutual friends introduce them, but it’s so much more than basic attraction. There’s an undeniable awareness and a sense of belonging that neither man can deny. Despite Emory’s premonition of a future with Jon, he has vowed never to love again. Jon is convinced that his tainted soul is the reason he will never have someone to call his own. What if they’re both wrong?

Maybe these broken men with their jagged edges could somehow align perfectly to form something whole and beautiful. But will that realization come too late for them?

Someone to Call My Own is the second book in the Road to Blissville series. These books can be read as standalone or as part of the series. The author first introduced these characters in the Curl Up and Dye Mysteries, but it isn’t necessary to read that series first. This book contains sexually explicit material and is intended for adults 18 and older.


 I hope you enjoyed the goodies I shared with you. I'm wishing you all a wonderful weekend! I'll be back on Tuesday with two more teasers!

XOXO

Aimee