Thank you so much for having me on your blog! I’m here today to talk about Broken Halo, a book I’m very excited to share with you all.
Micah Ellis’s life follows certain strict boundaries to keep his sanity intact. No dirt. No germs. No contact with children or the ill. His insides are dirty enough—the only way to live with himself is to make sure his outsides aren’t.
Devon Mallory shouldn’t even be on Micah’s radar. He’s a mechanic—dirt and grease go with the job description.
But Micah can’t stop thinking about Devon’s bright blue eyes and his kind smile, the way he gives Micah what he needs without even being asked.
Micah gave up on happily ever after a long time ago. He doesn’t understand why he’s suddenly rethinking the concept.
Micah stared at him a moment but finally shrugged. “My… ex. Barrett. He was at this dinner I had to go to tonight for work.”
Devon winced in sympathy. “Ugly breakup?”
“Ugly in general,” Micah said dryly. “He’s way too handsome for his own good—something I didn’t realize until I was already in the relationship. He’s used to everyone catering to him because of his looks, which is not… my experience.”
Devon’s brow furrowed. “Are you saying you’re ugly?”
“I’m not ugly,” Micah said hurriedly, “but I’m not on his level. Or yours.” Before the last sentence was out, he regretted it, especially because of the way Devon frowned.
“Did he tell you that?”
Micah lifted a shoulder, unsure how to respond. Devon seemed angry, and that made Micah want to shrink in on himself and apologize for whatever he’d said to upset him. At the same time, he wanted to bristle and snap back. Devon didn’t know him. He didn’t get to pass judgment on Micah’s life.
“Are you single right now?” Devon asked.
Micah nodded.
“Good,” Devon said. He stood up and dropped cash on the table, enough to cover both their tabs, and held out a hand to Micah, who took it and slid out of the booth, confused.
Devon headed for the parking lot, and Micah trailed behind, still trying to figure out what he was doing.
Devon turned to face him, and Micah froze on the edge of the curb as he stepped closer.
“You are gorgeous,” Devon said quietly. “I thought so the second you showed up in the shop—a ball of nerves in a nice suit. I wanted to know what you tasted like.”
Micah stared, and Devon smiled at him and took another step nearer.
“I can’t compare to—” Micah said, and Devon covered Micah’s mouth with one long finger. It stopped the rest of his sentence and made him gulp.
“It’s not a competition,” Devon breathed, and then his finger was gone, and his lips were there, fitting over Micah’s in a slow, easy slide. He flicked his tongue along the seam of Micah’s mouth, asking to be let in.
Micah clutched Devon’s arms as his mouth fell open and Devon pressed inside and took possession in gentle sweeps. Micah’s knees were weak and he clung to Devon’s bigger frame, helpless to do more than moan shakily and try to keep up. Devon growled and deepened the kiss until Micah was trembling as Devon’s long arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him in tight.
When they finally broke for air, Devon rolled his hips forward, and Micah gasped as a very impressive erection ground against his thigh.
“You’re really fucking hot, okay?” Devon whispered.
Micah squeezed his eyes shut and struggled for rational thought. “I…. Devon, I… have a question….”
Devon gently moved against him, his lip caught between his teeth, but he looked up at that. “Hmm?”
“I… oh God, I can’t think when you’re doing that—”
Devon slid a hand between them to cup Micah’s erection.
Micah’s head fell back as Devon squeezed and stroked, rubbing a thumb over the taut fabric.
“What was your question?” Devon asked.
“You’re gonna get us banned from IHOP,” Micah managed.
Devon grinned. “Worth it. You gonna ask that question or let me have my way with you?”
“Sweet Jesus,” Micah choked and jerked back, willing himself not to come right then and there like a teenager.
Devon laughed with his head thrown back and his long neck exposed, and Micah had never wanted anything as much in his life as he did the young man in front of him, but he dragged himself back together and cleared his throat.
“Uh… who’s Sean?”
Devon caught his breath and managed to bring the laughter under control. “Whew, I needed that. Sean’s my sister.” He tilted his head, still smiling. “Did you think she was my girlfriend?”
“Your sister,” Micah said. “I… yeah. Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t… encroaching.”
“I’m free and clear, just like you,” Devon said. “But thank you for asking.”
Micah’s smile spread slowly across his face. He felt light, effervescent. The horrible day was locked securely away and clean happiness had taken its place. “So what now?” he asked.
Devon shoved his hands in his pockets. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I’d really like to take you out. A real restaurant, maybe a movie and a round of mini-golf… what do you say?”
Micah shuddered. “No to the mini-golf, qualified yes to dinner if I have a say in where we go, and highly doubtful on the movie. Way too much sticky shit on the floor.” He braced himself. Devon would see just how high maintenance he was and walk away. But Devon didn’t move.
“It really bothers you, doesn’t it?” he asked quietly.
Micah hunched his shoulders. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I know I’m a basket case. It drove Barrett nuts.”
“I think we’ve established that Barrett’s an asshole,” Devon said. “I haven’t heard anything that’s a deal breaker yet, so why don’t we play it by ear? What do you think?”
“I think you’re too good to be true,” Micah said, and Devon laughed again.
“I snore,” he said, as if imparting a state secret.
Blurb:
Micah Ellis is an affluent businessman, comfortable in his life and work, as long as nothing happens to shake up his routine. Which is exactly what one Devon Mallory does, with his bright blue eyes and dirty skin and the forceful personality that’s everything Micah desperately needs but is too afraid to ask for.
Micah and Devon enter into a Dom/sub relationship and navigate the world of BDSM and Micah’s crippling insecurities as they gradually fall in love. But Micah’s past is coming back to haunt him, and they must face it together—and that means learning acceptance and discovering that they both deserve love their way and on their own merits.
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Michaela Grey told stories to put herself to sleep since she was old enough to hold a conversation in her head. When she learned to write, she began putting those stories down on paper. She resides in the Texas Hill Country with her cats, and is perpetually on the hunt for peaceful writing time.
When she’s not writing, she’s knitting while watching TV or avoiding responsibilities on Tumblr, where she blogs about cats and writing, offers dubious life advice, and tries to keep her cat off the keyboard.
Tumblr: greymichaela.tumblr.com
Twitter: @GreyMichaela
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GreyMichaela
E-mail: greymichaela@gmail.com