Blog Tour, Exlcusive Excerpt & Giveaway: C*ck Blocked by K.C. Kassidy
Blockers, Book One
Grayson Darling is suddenly the new “it” guy. An American actor turned heartthrob, Gray rose to superstar status through his portrayal of a handsome and brave American military captain in an epic WWII love story now in its fourth season on a popular streaming service.
But Gray needs a break from stardom, from the flashing lights of celebrity and his legions of female fans that mob him at every turn. He needs peace and quiet, and a real holiday during the show’s hiatus and summer break.
Instead of returning to his home in Hollywood, Gray books a month stay at a small B&B in rural Ireland, where he hopes to write his first screenplay and free himself from outside distractions. And time away to decide who and what he wants to be to the world.
What he didn’t expect to find was an attraction to the grumpy innkeeper, Niall O’Reardon. A retired football player now home managing the family’s inn with his sister, Niall is completely unfamiliar with his handsome new guest, and only knows how Grayson makes his insides feel strange and fizzy whenever they interact.
Niall only wants to live in peace and solitude, not interested in the fame or notoriety that his past football career gave him. But when word travels that Grayson Darling is staying in Boyle, the wolves descend, bringing in hordes of rag photogs, ruining his peaceful existence.
At which point, Niall must choose between protecting Gray’s reputation or protecting his own heart.
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A smile plays at my mouth and before I know it, I’m laughing out loud, raising my hands over my head in surrender. “You got me,” I chuckle. “You do make it rather enjoyable. But I won’t apologize for calling out your gullibility.” His eyes flicker with a bit of humility and humor as he throws his backpack over his left shoulder, bumping up against my arm with his right. He lifts his dark manicured brows, and his face breaks out in a warm yet daring smile, his teeth glinting white against the dull gray of the sky. “We Americans do have a tendency to be rather self-absorbed and unaware at times, I’ll grant you that,” he laughs softly, his cheekbones turning a warm pink color. “But we do have other commendable virtues.” A hot spark of desire erupts in my chest as I hold my fist at my side to avoid the tempting need to cup his cheek in my palm. To lock down my uncontrollable urge to test the weight of his lips against mine. To explore his neck with my tongue. I turn my head in the opposite direction toward the lake, clearing my throat and shaking off the thoughts that have afflicted me since the moment I set eyes on him. The way he showed up into my life and filled up the void in my world like a golden ray of sunshine, coloring my gloomy haze with his effervescent charm and beauty. I grunt in skepticism. “I don’t know many Americans, so I’ll have to take your word for that.” We walk in a comfortable silence side-by-side as we enter the park’s entrance. Since it’s a mid-week in May, the local schools are still in session as they prepare for their exams, and not many tourists have begun their summer holidays yet, so the park is fairly quiet this time of year. “I wasn’t taking the piss out of ya earlier when I said we’d be visiting an area full of folklore and fairy tales today. The McDermott Castle out there on Castle Island,” I point toward the lake, Geoffrey’s gaze tracking in the direction of my finger, squinting his eyes over the water. “It’s supposedly haunted with the ghost of Una Bhan and her dead boyfriend. Quite the tale of love and grief.” We approach the trail entrance of Drumman’s Island trail that follows the shores of the lake and leads across to Drumman’s Island, from where we’ll take a boat to the Castle Island. It’s been a while since I’ve visited the park for leisure. The last time was for Nan’s son, Michael’s sixth birthday party. She held a medieval picnic for he and his friends in the park’s recreation area, complete with knight costumes, fake swords made out of cardboard and tinfoil, and a game of “hunt the beast.” Which of course, as the boy’s godfather, I was roped into playing the beast. I snicker to myself as we pass by the picnic area, garnering a curious eyebrow raise from Geoffrey. “What’s so funny about a tragic love story? I’ve suffered a few ill-fated ones, myself. Perhaps no deaths to speak of like Una’s boyfriend, but no happy endings for me, either.” We continue the easy hike through the forest, rich with ferns and ground cover, large trees with expansive branches looming overhead, as I consider his comment, which gives me pause. “Tragic, eh? Give me an example. It can’t be worse than the tragic fate of Una Bhan and her lover.” Under the canopy of the trees providing us a thick cover overhead from the drizzle as we hike along the path. Geoffrey removes the hood of his jacket, running a hand through the thick dark strands of his hair. Our proximity lends itself to the fragrant scent of his shampoo wafting through the air. Mixed with the forest pines, it’s intoxicatingly fresh and he smells richly expensive. Out of my league, for sure. I inhale a large gulp of air and then exhale heavily, hoping to expel the voodoo magic his scented potion has cast upon me. This effect he has on me has put thoughts in my head that shouldn’t be there. And now we’re onto the topic of lovers. Fuck, this is not going to help my cause one bit. “My track record in the relationship department has been long and rocky.” I scratch my bearded chin, considering his comment. “Any thoughts on reasons for their demise?” He eyeballs me mirthfully, pinching his thumb and finger together in a measured gesture. “I have a slight problem with attachments and falling too easily. Which sadly, does not bode well for me and my job.” His remark confuses me. I don’t know much about the screenwriting profession, but it would seem to me he could do it anywhere and anytime. “How does being a screenwriter interfere with relationships?” Geoffrey’s mouth snaps shut suddenly, a look passing over his face like he said the wrong thing. He waves it off with a flick of his wrist. “My travel schedule and such…it’s just difficult to be with someone long-term.” We round a corner through the woods that leads to a clearing, and all discussion of past relationships ends as before us stands the famous stone Fairy Bridge, built sometime in the 12th century. “Holy shit, look at that!” Geoffrey exclaims excitedly, quickly trotting ahead to click photos on his phone as we approach the worn and crumbling structure. And perhaps to avoid any further discussion on the topic of his past and love life. Not that I blame him. I really would much rather chat about the scenery and avoid any mention of my past relationships. Or the way I handled them when they ended.
To celebrate the release & tour of C*ck Blocked, K.C. is giving away a signed copy of C*ck Blocked (open internationally)!
Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!
K.C. Kassidy is the pen name of award-winning new adult author Sierra Hill. She/her first MM debut under this new name will be released on June 24th.
Connect with K.C.:
Website: http://authorkckassidy.com/ Email subscriber link: https://www.subscribepage.com/authorkckassidy BookBub: @kckassidyauthor GR: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21289108.K_C_Kassidy FB page: https://www.facebook.com/k.c.kassidyauthor Instagram: @k.c.kassidyauthor
