Hardwood
Four Bears Construction Series, Book Three
KM Neuhold
Release Date: 07.01.20
M/M Contemporary Romance
Blurb
I’ve spent forty-four years of my life telling the world I’m a carpet man. Is it too late to admit to myself and everyone else that deep down I’m really all about the Hardwood?
It took me over thirty-five years to admit to myself that I’m gay, another seven to find the courage to say it out loud to anyone else, and exactly thirty seconds to develop a massive crush on my daughter’s music teacher. It’s really not my fault, have you even seen those cute bowties he wears?
After everything it’s taken to get here, am I going to work up the nerve to come out to my ex-wife and my best friends? Am I ready to shake up my comfortable, simple life and take a chance on Watson? Or am I going to throw a wrench in my own chance for happily ever after?
***Hardwood is a steamy, seriously so much delicious tension, single-dad, gay awakening, low angst story, which happens to be the third in the Four Bears Construction Series. It CAN be read as a stand-alone. There are NO shifters in this series, only the OTHER kind of bears.
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“Since you’re the first person I’ve kissed in ages, any notes?” I ask as casually as possible.
“Notes?” he repeats with amusement, lifting one eyebrow but keeping his eyes straight ahead.
“Yeah, you know, anything I’ve gotten a bit rusty on? Or something I could do better next time.”
I catch a smile starting to tug on the corner of his lips. “Pretty confident there’s going to be a next time?” he teases.
“Well, I hope to fuck that wasn’t the last kiss I’ll have in my life.” There was a time right after the divorce that I thought that was exactly the case, that I would be single for the rest of my life rather than put another woman through what I did to Val or push myself outside my comfort zone. But now? Now I’ve seen the light at the end of the tunnel, and there’s no way I’m going to close my eyes and stay in the dark any longer.
So what if I’m forty-four and haven’t been with a man? Don’t I deserve happiness just like anyone else?
“Oh duh, you didn’t mean with me,” Watson says, chuckling awkwardly.
“That’s kind of up to you,” I remind him as we pull into my driveway.
“It was an incredible kiss,” he says, parking the car and finally turning his head to look at me. “Probably in the top five kisses I’ve had in my life.”
My heart somersaults, and I grin, resisting the urge to whoop out loud.
“What’s the problem then?” I ask.
“I just don’t know if this is smart. I like you, and I know our friendship is new, but it’s important to me. I don’t want to make this decision while I’m drunk as hell on your lips. I need some time to weigh it out.”
“I get it. Take all the time you need.”
“Thank you.”
I unbuckle and make a move to get out of the car and then pause.
“So, top five? Any tips on snagging that number one spot?” I ask with a grin, my hand on the door handle.
“Oh my god,” Watson complains with a chuckle, pushing my shoulder. “Get out before I do something stupid like kiss you again.” I hesitate, tempted to push his resolve. “Go,” he insists again.
I sigh and pull the handle to open the door. I glance back at him one last time before getting out of the car. He idles in the driveway until I let myself in, and then I hear the crunch of his tires as he backs out and drives away.
Stepping inside the house, I kick off my shoes and then lean against the door. This time I don’t laugh or cry. I just let myself feel. The sensation inside my chest is too big, and absolutely incredible.
Author K.M.Neuhold is a complete romance junkie, a total sap in every way. She started her journey as an author in new adult, MF romance, but after a chance reading of an MM book she was completely hooked on everything about lovely- and sometimes damaged- men finding their Happily Ever After together. She has a strong passion for writing characters with a lot of heart and soul, and a bit of humor as well. And she fully admits that her OCD tendencies of making sure every side character has a full backstory will likely always lead to every book having a spin-off or series. When she’s not writing she’s a lion tamer, an astronaut, and a superhero…just kidding, she’s likely watching Netflix and snuggling with her husky while her amazing husband brings her coffee.
