Title: Following The Rules
Series: The Script Club #1
Author: Lane Hayes
Publisher: Lane Hayes
Release Date: May 7, 2021foll
Length: 50k
Genre: Romance, Nerd/Jock, MM Romance, Bisexual Awakening, Best Friend’s Brother,
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Synopsis
The geek, the jock, and a new set of rules…
Topher-
My friend’s brother needs an academic assistant and I need a job. Problem…jocks are my weakness. Seriously. I lose my ability to speak coherently around muscle-bound hotties. Oh yeah, I lose my inhibitions too—not a good look for a guy with a genius IQ. So what am I going to do about Simon?
Simon-
Finishing college isn’t high on my list of priorities, but my future in professional football is looking bleak. I need a plan B or C, and I could use some help navigating life as an undergrad. Topher is perfect. He’s also a little strange…but in a good way. And I like the way I feel when I’m around him—as though anything is possible. Maybe if we follow our hearts, we’ll find what we’re looking for. But that means changing the rules…
Following the Rules is a MM, bisexual awakening romance starring a lovable nerd, a cool jock, and some extracurricular fun.
My brain fell a few steps behind as I stared at him like an idiot for a beat.
Totally understandable. Simon Murphy was the most handsome man I’d ever met. His dark hair tumbled over his right eye, giving him a rakish look. And that body could stop traffic. No joke. His broad shoulders practically tore the seams of his black “Think like a protein, stay positive” T-shirt and—
I swallowed hard and pointed at his chest. “I don’t know if I should tell you this, but that shirt is an inside joke about a different type of protein. Uh—never mind.”
He glanced down on cue. “Cum? Am I wearing a cum rag?”
My chuckle morphed into a hearty laugh. I couldn’t help it. His expression was a perfect blend of amusement and mortification.
“It’s not my shirt. I have no idea if it’s ever been used as—” I circled my wrist meaningfully. “You know what I mean.”
“I do. Come on. Let me help you with that box.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I insisted.
“I want to and as you probably guessed, I also want to talk to you.” He must have seen my hesitation. His features softened and his tone was earnest when he added, “Please.”
“Okay. This way.”
Simon followed me through the living area, effortlessly hoisted the box, then continued upstairs to my bedroom, across from the linen closet and a private bathroom. I had this section of the floor to myself. There were three more rooms and two bathrooms on the opposite side of the stairwell and a fifth room downstairs adjacent to a dining room we’d probably never use. George took that space and had already dubbed it his lair. We’d both agreed to pay a bit more in rent for the privacy perks.
Totally worth it, I mused, pushing the door open.
Other than the queen-sized bed, the nightstand, and a few boxes stacked under the window, the room was bare. It had great bones though…hardwood flooring and a sloped ceiling that created the perfect reading niche. The blank space next to the built-in bookshelves was the ideal spot for my desk.
“Where do you want this?”
“Anywhere on the floor is fine. Thank you,” I replied.
Simon dropped it at the end of the bed and cast a curious glance around the room. “This is nice.”
“Yes. What did you want to talk about?”
“You. Me.”
“Simon…”
“I braved Friday traffic, a night under my parents’ roof—which was pretty nice, actually—then got roped into moving a heavy sofa while dressed in a cum rag to get here,” he said matter-of-factly. “I need you, Christopher.”
I set my drink on the end table and sat on the mattress. “You don’t need me. Anyone will do. I’ll help you find someone more appropriate.”
“Appropriate?”
“Someone who’ll act professionally.” I narrowed my gaze in frustration at his blank stare and growled, “Someone who won’t kiss you or—”
Simon pounced.
He leaped across the bed, cupped my face in his hands, and sealed his mouth over mine. His momentum knocked me flat on my back. It was more of a playful maneuver than a real kiss, but it sent me reeling. My heart skittered, my pulse raced, and my dick swelled hopefully against the zipper of my khaki shorts. I pushed at his massive chest and stood before I did something I’d regret.
“What was that?”
“Now we’re even.”
I gaped comically, then adjusted my glasses. “No, no, no. That’s not how it works.”
“Sure, it is.”
“There are rules, Simon. I broke the rules.”
“What rules?”
I sighed. “Life rules! Your kiss doesn’t erase mine.”
“Yeah, it does. It’s science,” he declared.
Unbelievably, I laughed. “No, it’s not. Look, it was nice of you to come by. I appreciate it. You seem like a good guy, but—”
“No, you’re wrong. I’m a selfish bastard, and I need your help.”
“I can’t help you, but maybe I can help you find someone who—”
“It has to be you,” he insisted.
“Ugh!” I squeezed my eyes shut and massaged the bridge of my nose before righting my glasses and facing him like a warrior entering the battlefield. “Simon, I have no choice, but to be savagely honest. I can’t work for you because I…suffer from allergies when I’m around you.”
He squinted. “You’re allergic to me?”
“Technically no…but also yes.”
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Lane Hayes loves a good romance! An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were winners in the 2016, 2017, and 2018-2019 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a not quite empty nest.
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