Excerpt: Meet the Tomboy from Deceptive Attraction

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Here's another excerpt from Deceptive Attraction, this time introducing Angel. One reader said she has to have a powerful core to manage the two men in the book. You'll see her playful side in this excerpt. Remember to comment to be entered to win the book and to WIN the Volley Balls T-Shirt. 

 

 

Excerpt: Deceptive Attraction by Tara Lain; M/M/F Contemporary

Available from Loose Id  and Amazon

 

Caleb Martin faces a life crisis — and he’s pretty embarrassed about it. A talented soccer star, he has the chance to sign a lucrative five year contract and be rich and famous. Two problems — Cal is gay and signing the contract means he has to stay in the closet, maybe for life. Plus, he’ll have to spend his years diving for soccer balls when he’d like to be helping people like the rest of his family. A one-night stand with a beautiful man rocks Cal, but the guy vanishes only to reappear where Cal is house-sitting. Too much coincidence? And then a cute tomboy throws Cal’s life choices into confusion. How could he wind up with a commitmentphobe and a woman dedicated to her work in Africa? Oh yeah, and then there’s a big surprise in a snowstorm. Cosmic joker strikes again.

 

 

 

 

She’d talked him into it.

Walking toward the Blade gay bar, Angel bobbed ahead of him, apparently oblivious to the cold, and bouncing with enthusiasm. He had to admit she looked seriously cute. Actually the word was hot, but he wasn’t going there.

She’d traded the baggies for a trim pair of skinny jeans. It was a testament to her boyishness that she still didn’t look feminine, despite the way the denim hugged her hips. She’d worn a slightly baggy T-shirt, and what breasts she had were squashed under some kind of camisole thing she’d revealed while they were in the kitchen by pulling her T-shirt up to her face. Over it all, she wore a trim leather jacket that was definitely unisex. And it was green, kind of a yellowy green color. Really pretty with her hair and creamy skin, but not too girlie for a fashionable gay guy to pick. She topped — or maybe bottomed — off the whole outfit with cool Converse sneakers. A perfect little twink.

What about her voice? Would guys immediately know she wasn’t a boy? He hadn’t. Lots of young guys had higher voices, and so did lots of gay guys. Like Elijah. He winced and shied from the thought. Get a grip, Martin. You’re supposed to be looking for sex, not worrying about Angel — or Eli.

She’d gotten to the entrance first and waited for him. The place was pretty subdued. Just a small sign and a pleasant country-home exterior. Very Connecticut. But he saw what he expected was cigarette smoke coming from a driveway at the side of the club. Probably some outdoor action going on there. She pulled open the door before he could do it. Yeah, had to remember not to treat her like a girl.

Inside? Not so subdued. A live band was playing pop music fronted by a girl with a gravelly, sexy voice. Interesting. There was a bar along the wall, not quite as big as the one at the Flamingo, but a much bigger dance floor. Male couples and a few female pairs filled the floor, hugging tight, but with no overt grinding. Good. For Angel, at least.

A man who looked like he’d be more at home in a political campaign than a gay bar stood behind a small reception podium. He surveyed the two of them and pointed a finger toward Angel. “Is he old enough?”

Oh shit. He hadn’t thought about the carding thing.

Angel laughed. “Sure. See.” She held out a license. Had she been holding it all along? Fortunately the host glanced but didn’t take it. Somewhere on that card, probably under Angel’s finger, was an incriminating F for female. The host looked Angel up and down. “You’re a pretty boy.” He nodded at Cal. “This your boyfriend?”

She smiled. “Just a friend.”

The preppy guy leaned toward her. “Look me up before you leave.”

“Thanks. But I’m just here to dance.”

“I like to dance. Maybe when I get off at two?”

Cal grabbed her arm. “C’mon, Angel.”

She looked back at the host as Cal dragged her away. “Thanks. That’s past my bedtime.”

He gave her arm a little jerk. “What was that all about?”

“Just making friends.”

He hauled her toward a small table that was opening up as two men, clearly intent on things that topped Cal’s priority list, moved toward the entrance.

Angel wouldn’t be hauled. As they passed the dance floor, she just started bobbing and weaving. Cal couldn’t hold her, and she slipped onto the floor by herself. In seconds two guys had split their couple and were dancing around her. She threw her head back and laughed, tight butt wriggling.

Cal hurried to grab the table, sat, and looked back. He could just make her out in the middle of the moving crowd.

Okay, time to do some serious scoping. He turned in his chair so he could survey the men at the tables and the bar. A few were alone. A couple of nice-looking men. His come-hither look was a bit rusty. Maybe if he just looked available.

A harried waiter leaned in to the table, and Cal ordered a beer. What did Angel want? Hell, make it two beers.

The beer arrived pretty quickly, although Cal couldn’t figure how the waiter moved that fast in the crowd. He took a sip. How does an available man look? Alone. Yeah, that’s what he was.

He saw an attractive blond over at the bar, looking at him. Hmm. Likely candidate. But the blond hair wasn’t curly, and he bet those eyes weren’t gold. He glanced again toward the dance floor. That sure was one cute butt.

* * * * *

Oh merde, when was the last time she’d had this much fun? Angel circled the two dancers who were partnering her. Both cute. Thought she was a boy, obviously, because they were flirting like mad. They must not be a couple. But at the moment, it was all about the dancing.

She looked over toward the table. Oh. Yeah, well Caleb had found himself some really attractive company. They were sitting together, heads close, sipping beer. She wanted to be happy for him. She’d try. But this was one gay guy she wished wasn’t. First, gorgeous. Way prettier than he realized. Tall and lean, with that wild, brown and blond mixed hair that looked like he spent his life in the sun. And the clear blue eyes that crinkled at the edges when he smiled. Plus, he was nice and smart and fun despite the fact that she’d pretty much wrecked his vacation. Oh well. She did a spin, and one of the men grabbed her hand and circled her just as the song ended.

She fell back a couple of steps. Bam, solid wall. Warm wall. Hands grabbed her shoulders. She looked up into black eyes that shone with naughty intent.

The dancer smiled, revealing a row of even, white teeth. Yeah, the better to eat you with. “Hi, pretty.”

“Hi.”

“I’m Carlos. You want to dance with me?” His voice danced with a smooth Latino accent.

The music had changed to slow and sultry. Hmm. Maybe not such a good idea. “Okay.”

She slipped into his arms. He was tallish, maybe five-eleven, and the hair was as black as the eyes. Pret-ty. “I’m Angel.”

He cocked his head. “Angel?” He pronounced it “Ahn-hel,” in the Spanish fashion.

“Yeah, I guess. But it’s Americanized.” She neglected to mention that it was short for Angelica.

He pulled her in close. Okay, need to keep a little distance here. It felt nice to be close to a man, even if he was gay. She’d broken up with Mitchell months ago, and her crazy schedule made a social life — read sex life — pretty sparse.

She felt soft lips against her ear. “You really are a pretty one.”

“Thanks.” She gulped a little. This guy was so sexy. She wasn’t used to such overt sensuality.

He pulled her a little tighter, and she could feel his stiff erection pressing on her abdomen. Again, she tried to pull away without being insulting, but she was about to get outed, and not in a good way.

His lips were on her ear again. “Don’t worry, Ahn-hel. I know your secret, and it’s safe with me.”

She pulled back. What the —

He smiled at her with those teeth again. “I know you’re a girl, pretty, and I like it just fine.”

 

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