Happy October! This is my favorite time of year. Fall leaves, Halloween, crisp temperatures, and my birthday. It’s also the 5th anniversary of the release of my first novel, Serpentine Walls. I’ve decided to celebrate by giving away an ebook of any of the Serpentine Series novels – New Adult stories set at the University of Virginia. Enjoy the excerpt below and then answer the question to enter my giveaway.

Serpentine Walls is the story of university student Pete Morgan and includes a lively cast of college friends. This excerpt takes place at a Halloween party. Pete is your typical college guy who doesn’t know what, or who, he wants. He’s lusting after both Matthew and Aidan, while settling for friends-with-benefits from Jed, who doesn’t appear in this scene.

EXCERPT

“So where’s Angie at again?” Pete asked Brian. “Wasn’t she coming with you?”

Brian fingered the ruff around his neck and sighed. “I don’t know. We were almost here and she got a text, said she had to go and she’d meet us here later.” He appeared miserable in his Pierrot costume. The teardrop Angie had painted on his face was fitting, Pete thought.

Deciding for Brian’s sake not to make a snide remark about Angie’s Mystery Man, Pete tugged surreptitiously on the Roman tunic Angie had put him in. He thought it was supposed to be longer than midthigh, but she had insisted he show off his legs.

“Come on,” he said, adjusting the laurel wreath on his head, “let’s go get drunk.”

“Well, maybe one drink,” Brian murmured, following him.

They wove through Matthew’s living room, which was crammed full of people in fantastic costumes. John and Cleo joined them as they were perusing the alcohol selection. Pete blinked at John, who was almost unrecognizable in a fancy turban and shimmering brocade robe. Cleo looked stunning in a rose-colored sari, her eyes kohl rimmed and a red dot on her forehead.

“Wow, swami,” Pete said to John. “Lookin’ pretty regal, there.”

“Not swami, Maharajah,” Cleo corrected. “My baby’s an Indian prince.”

“Bow down,” John commanded.

“In your dreams, jackass.”

“So what’re you supposed to be?” John looked him over. “A gladiator? Oh, wait, you’re John Belushi in Animal House!”

“Fuck you. I’m wearing a tunic, not a toga.”

“Coulda fooled me.”

“Brian,” Cleo said, ignoring their banter, “that costume is exquisite, and your makeup’s to die for. Turn around, I want to see the back.”

“Glad someone’s enjoying it,” Brian muttered, turning dutifully.

“Did Angie put it together?” Cleo fished a camera out of the folds of her sari. “Look this way, Brian.” She aimed and shot a picture.

“Where is Angie?” John asked. “She loves costume parties.”

Pete and Brian exchanged a glance but were saved from having to answer when Matthew emerged through the beaded curtain and came to join them.

“Hey, guys, welcome. Wow. Excellent costumes, every one of you. I’m impressed.”

Pete’s mouth dropped open for a moment at the sight of Matthew in a sexy cowboy costume. His chest and arms were bare under the black vest and jaunty red scarf, and his leather chaps hugged a pair of skintight jeans. The opening of the chaps in the front only served to accentuate… holy fuck. Pete hadn’t realized Matthew was that well-endowed.

“Assless chaps?” Cleo clapped her hands. “Turn around.”

“The chaps are assless, but my ass is covered,” Matthew said in a prim voice as he performed a slow turn. Covered or not, his ass was tantalizing, as was the rest of him. Pete was thinking about how nice it would be to lick the freckles on his nicely toned shoulders when Matthew turned his eyes to him. “Nice tunic, Morgan,” he said, giving him a once-over. “Cute legs.”

“Lech,” Pete said. If only.

“You know it.”

“You guys stop flirting and stand over there with Brian and John. I want to get a picture of four gorgeous men all dressed up.” Cleo waved her hand.

“Pushy, isn’t she?” Matthew smiled at John.

“That’s my lady.” John set his beer on the table. “Come along, gentlemen. Our fearless leader has spoken.”

Cleo nodded in agreement as Pete went over next to John, and Matthew stood on Pete’s other side. Cleo gestured for them to move closer together, and Pete could smell Matthew’s scent—clean with a hint of sandalwood—while being hyperaware of the way their bare shoulders and arms were touching. Crap. Cleo needs to hurry up and take the picture, he thought, praying his tunic was good at concealing a hard-on.

Just then, the beaded curtain parted and Aidan stumbled through, laughing loudly. He was dressed as a pirate: eyes outlined in kohl, white billowy-sleeved shirt unbuttoned to the waist, crimson sash around his hips, and tight black pants tucked into his boots. He caught Pete’s eye, waved, and started to make his way over to their group, swaying as he walked.

“Pete! Eyes on the camera,” Cleo ordered, and Pete turned his attention back to the picture taking with a start.

*****

GIVEAWAY

For a chance to win any one of the Serpentine Series novels, answer this question: What do you love best about the month of October?

Upcoming Release and Sale

Dreamspinner is having a sale through October 23rd, and you can pick up my new release The Kinsey Scale or any of my other books for 30% off.

Take care until next month,

CJane

After years of hearing characters chatting away in her head, CJane Elliott finally decided to put them on paper and hasn’t looked back since. A psychotherapist by training, CJane enjoys writing sexy, passionate stories that also explore the human psyche. CJane has traveled all over North America for work and her characters are travelers, too, traveling down into their own depths to find what they need to get to the happy ending.

CJane is an ardent supporter of LGBTQ equality and is particularly fond of coming out stories.

CJane is the author of the award-winning Serpentine Series, New Adult contemporary novels set at the University of Virginia. Serpentine Walls was a 2014 Rainbow Awards finalist, Aidan’s Journey was a 2015 EPIC Awards finalist, and Sex, Love, and Videogames won first place in the New Adult category in the 2016 Swirl Awards and first place in Contemporary Fiction in the 2017 EPIC eBook Awards.

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