Who knew a welcome to the neighborhood gift could give Keith and Jason their chance at love?
Title: Whiskers of a Chance
Author: Tempeste O’Riley
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: M/M /Paranormal/Romance
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: Sept 30
Edition/Formats: eBook & Print
Blurb/Synopsis:
Jason Grant runs his own IT business from home, owns his own home, and has the best friend he could imagine. What he doesn’t have, or believe he will ever have, is love. When Jason catches a glimpse of his new neighbor on moving day, his libido ignites and his fascination in piqued. He even manages to concoct an excuse to go over and meet the man who makes him hope and want for more than he has in years.
Keith Skyler is a shifter in a world where his kind is known to only a few, but they don’t often mix and they never mate. Keith has been hoping for a mate since before he can remember, but gay lynx don’t have true mates. As far as he knows, they don’t have mates at all. However, while moving his little family across Seattle—and away from their tribe—his reality tips and spins more than he thought possible.
When these two men meet over a dish of five-cheese broccoli-noodle casserole, sparks fly. Who knew a welcome to the neighborhood gift could give both of them their chance at love?
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“Jason?” Keith asked after a few minutes of lying there quietly, holding Jason around his waist.
“Hmm?”
“I’m sorry,” Keith mumbled into his shoulder.
Sorry? “What for?”
“I’ve never lost control like that. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he continued. “Be still and I’ll clean you up.”
Jason lay there, trying to figure out what Keith was referring to, but his mind drew a blank. All he could think about was how wonderful and perfect being with Keith felt. When Keith returned with a warm cloth and a towel, he wiped the spend and lube off Jason from his navel to the top of his butt. He then produced another cloth and dabbed carefully along Jason’s hip.
“Ow!” Jason snapped and pulled away. Confused, he looked down and noted not only the marks he knew would be finger-shaped bruises shortly but also four puncture marks just above his hipbone. “What the hell?”
“I, um…. Be still and close your eyes for a moment,” Keith murmured, not meeting his gaze. “Please.”
Even with the evidence that Keith could, and had, hurt him, Jason still felt safe with Keith. He nodded and closed his eyes, unsure why he did so. He gasped a moment later when Keith’s tongue ran up his hip, slowly tracing the small cuts. Every time Keith licked him, he moaned as a flash of heat ran up and down his spine in a way he’d never felt before. The logical part of his brain wanted to push Keith away, knowing that human mouths and wounds didn’t mix; the rest of him told that part to shut the hell up and enjoy the moment.
“All better.” Keith’s voice was soft and tentative, which it hadn’t been since they’d met.
Jason opened his eyes and met Keith’s, again falling into the depths of the oceans within. “What?”
“I’ve waited for you, waited for so long to find someone like you, and when I do, I go off and hurt you the first time we’re together.” Keith whispered as if he were talking to himself, not Jason, which confused him even more.
“I don’t understand, Keith.”
“I know, just please believe me when I say it wasn’t intentional.”
Jason thought about it before he nodded. “It’s just a scratch, Keith. I’m the one who pushed you to be rougher. Now,” he added, looking around the room, “you think we could find a more comfortable place to cuddle than the floor?”
He didn’t want to move, but the cold tile wasn’t doing anything good for him. Keith helped Jason pull off the stubborn pants still clinging to one ankle. Jason then let out a yelp when Keith fluidly stood and proceeded to scoop him off the floor and carry him to the couch. Keith sat and pulled Jason between his thighs so Jason’s back rested against his chest and loosely wrapped his arms around Jason’s waist.
“Um, you have no drapes and we’re both still naked.”
“The only window with a view to where we’re sitting now is yours, so unless you have someone at home,” Keith rumbled, his tone turning possessive, “I don’t see the problem.”
Knowing Keith couldn’t see him, Jason smiled, pleased at the words and tone. “No, no one lives there but me. Not even a pet, unless you count my laptops,” he mumbled, post-sex lethargy claiming him quickly.
“Good—now rest, Jay. We can talk later.”
The last thing Jason felt and heard before sleep claimed him was Keith’s warmth and what he could have sworn was a cat purring.
“Hmm?”
“I’m sorry,” Keith mumbled into his shoulder.
Sorry? “What for?”
“I’ve never lost control like that. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he continued. “Be still and I’ll clean you up.”
Jason lay there, trying to figure out what Keith was referring to, but his mind drew a blank. All he could think about was how wonderful and perfect being with Keith felt. When Keith returned with a warm cloth and a towel, he wiped the spend and lube off Jason from his navel to the top of his butt. He then produced another cloth and dabbed carefully along Jason’s hip.
“Ow!” Jason snapped and pulled away. Confused, he looked down and noted not only the marks he knew would be finger-shaped bruises shortly but also four puncture marks just above his hipbone. “What the hell?”
“I, um…. Be still and close your eyes for a moment,” Keith murmured, not meeting his gaze. “Please.”
Even with the evidence that Keith could, and had, hurt him, Jason still felt safe with Keith. He nodded and closed his eyes, unsure why he did so. He gasped a moment later when Keith’s tongue ran up his hip, slowly tracing the small cuts. Every time Keith licked him, he moaned as a flash of heat ran up and down his spine in a way he’d never felt before. The logical part of his brain wanted to push Keith away, knowing that human mouths and wounds didn’t mix; the rest of him told that part to shut the hell up and enjoy the moment.
“All better.” Keith’s voice was soft and tentative, which it hadn’t been since they’d met.
Jason opened his eyes and met Keith’s, again falling into the depths of the oceans within. “What?”
“I’ve waited for you, waited for so long to find someone like you, and when I do, I go off and hurt you the first time we’re together.” Keith whispered as if he were talking to himself, not Jason, which confused him even more.
“I don’t understand, Keith.”
“I know, just please believe me when I say it wasn’t intentional.”
Jason thought about it before he nodded. “It’s just a scratch, Keith. I’m the one who pushed you to be rougher. Now,” he added, looking around the room, “you think we could find a more comfortable place to cuddle than the floor?”
He didn’t want to move, but the cold tile wasn’t doing anything good for him. Keith helped Jason pull off the stubborn pants still clinging to one ankle. Jason then let out a yelp when Keith fluidly stood and proceeded to scoop him off the floor and carry him to the couch. Keith sat and pulled Jason between his thighs so Jason’s back rested against his chest and loosely wrapped his arms around Jason’s waist.
“Um, you have no drapes and we’re both still naked.”
“The only window with a view to where we’re sitting now is yours, so unless you have someone at home,” Keith rumbled, his tone turning possessive, “I don’t see the problem.”
Knowing Keith couldn’t see him, Jason smiled, pleased at the words and tone. “No, no one lives there but me. Not even a pet, unless you count my laptops,” he mumbled, post-sex lethargy claiming him quickly.
“Good—now rest, Jay. We can talk later.”
The last thing Jason felt and heard before sleep claimed him was Keith’s warmth and what he could have sworn was a cat purring.
Tempeste O’Riley is an out and proud pansexual genderfluid whose best friend growing up had the courage to do what they couldn’t—defy the hate and come out. He has been their hero ever since. Tempe is a hopeless romantic who loves strong relationships and happily-ever-afters. Though new to writing M/M, they has done many things in their life, yet writing has always drawn them back—no matter what else life has thrown their way. They counts her friends, family, and Muse as their greatest blessings in life. They lives in Wisconsin with their children, reading, writing, and enjoying life.
Tempe is also a proud PAN member of Romance Writers of America, WisRWA, and Rainbow Romance Writers. Tempe’s preferred pronouns are they/them/their/theirs/themselves.
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Thank You for Spotlighting Whiskers of a Chance by Tempeste O’Riley