Love’s Gamble Series, Book 2
Zane
Four years ago, I met Liam Holdsworthy.
Hot, snarky, and hiding behind a sadness I couldn’t place. I wanted him, even back then. There were only two problems.
One, I was deeply closeted.
And two, he was dating my best friend.
Now I’m retired from the NFL and openly out, there’s nothing to stop me from getting my gay on.
When Liam comes back into my life, and I find out he’s single, I’ll find any reason to spend time with him. That’s how I created a list of gay first experiences I coax him into helping me with.
But I don’t just want his help.
I still want him.
Liam
After leaving a long-term relationship with a closeted NFL player, I went through a string of guys trying to find the one. None of them were boyfriend material, let alone the forever type.
I’m looking for a guy to come home to. Someone serious and down to earth.
I’m definitely not looking for Cooper Zane.
Yet, I can’t shake him, and not only because I’m helping him with his big bi bucket list. Every time I see him is like a shot of adrenaline to my system, and I’m always left wanting more.
I need Mr. Serious, and Cooper’s the least serious person I’ve met.
He’s newly out.
He’s never had a relationship.
And most importantly, he may be retired, but he’s not done with football.
He’ll do anything to get it all back. And I’m not prepared to be relegated to the sidelines ever again.
Universal Link
Cooper is amazing, sweet, fucking hot as hell… and hiding something.
“So how did it go?”
“Good. Really good.” He doesn’t quite meet my eyes, and since he had his interview with Katrina this afternoon, he’s seemed quieter. Like a watered-down version of himself.
“That’s great.” I wish I could say something else, but if I push him, I’m not sure what he’ll say, and I’m not exactly sure what I’m ready to hear.
I sigh and look out at the rink. “I can’t believe you got me here again.”
Cooper gives me his warmest smile, and it makes me forget the worry trying to wedge its way into our relationship. “If I got you into bed, I think I can get you just about anywhere.”
“Confident fucker.”
“Are you underestimating my charm, Holdsworthy?”
I grimace as I push up onto the skates. “I wouldn’t dream of underestimating the great Cooper Zane.”
“That’s more like it. Now help me up.” He pathetically holds out a hand, and like last time, I grab the barrier and heft his weight up. This time when we enter the rink, he’s not quite so shaky. His triumphant smile makes me shake my head.
“You haven’t landed on your ass yet. Well done.”
“Do you know,” he says, ignoring me, “the first time we were here I might have pretended to be shittier than I was so I could hold your hand.”
My cheeks feel warm as I reach over to do just that. “You lied to me?”
“It was more like I worked an opportunity in my favor.” He tugs me closer, and being like this with him fills me with a type of warmth I don’t think I’ve ever experienced. I’m not exactly starved for attention, but in public it’s still totally new, and I never want to reach a point where I’m sick of it. Cooper sees me as his, and he wants everyone else to see it too. My smile is soft and hesitant, and I don’t know what vibe he’s picking up on, but he links our fingers together and lifts my hand to his lips.
“One kiss because you make me laugh.” He kisses my wrist. “And two because we have fun together. Three”—his lips find my forearm as his voice deepens—“because every time I look at you, I’m completely fucking blown away that I get to do this whenever I want.”
I pull him so his wheels roll him closer. “And four?”
His eyebrows wrinkle in confusion. “Jesus, three wasn’t enough for you?”
“Nope. I want another one.”
“Greedy bastard.”
“Well, you bring out the best in me.”
Cooper smiles and flicks one of my curls back from my forehead and lands a kiss there. “Okay, four is for helping me with a stupid gay list that was complete bullshit.”
“Wha—”
My surprise lasts for a second before he reaches up to cup my face, then kisses me right in the middle of the rink. It’s more chaste than I wanted, but it’s probably best we don’t push it on the PDA front. “Five is a promise.”
Interested, I cock my head.
“Because now that I know what it’s like to have you in my life, I promise to do everything I can to keep you.”
Maybe I should be wary about him talking like that, but how the hell can I be when his words are everything I want to hear? Instead of telling him how he’s going to need to pry me off him with a crowbar, I deflect. “You’re worried Taryn will kill you if you leave me, aren’t you?”
“I know I’m bigger than him, but I have a feeling in that fight, I’d lose.”
“It’s these spindly weak arms,” I say, giving his impressive bicep a squeeze. “You should work out or something.”
“You’re lucky I’m on wheels, or I’d throw you over my shoulder.”
I let go of him and skate out of his reach. “Good luck with that.”
To celebrate Saxon’s new release, we are giving away $25 Amazon GC and an e-copy of Book One in the Love’s A Gamble Series, Bet On Me.
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About Saxon:
Saxon James is an author from Australia who’s obsessed with writing queer characters. She has a range of books from YA to adult and they all have one thing in common: swoony, sweet love.
When not writing, Saxon exists on a diet of coffee and chocolate while putting her KU subscription to the test.
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