A warm welcome to author Andi Lee , joining us today here at Love Bytes to show an exclusive interlude of new release “Risky Business”.
Andi also brought a giveaway you can particate in!
Welcome Andi 🙂
Risky Business By Andi Lee Blurb
Veterinarian Dane Vincent is used to being unlucky in love. That’s why his crush on new friend Ben is No Big Deal. He’s more than happy to swoop to Ben’s rescue when he brings a ferret into his practice. It’s what friends do–and vets.
Ben Clifford came to Lockstone for a new job and a fresh start. He didn’t expect to make friends, never mind a tightknit group of them. They’re all wacky and wonderful, and he fits right in, something he’s never done before.
They even support him when he finds a ferret at work and decides to keep the cute little bundle of joy.
There’s just one tiny problem.
Ben’s house doesn’t allow pets.
Moving into Dane’s spare room is meant to be temporary, but the more time he spends with him, the less he wants to leave. They connect on a level he’s never experienced before, and slowly but surely, the feelings of friendship Ben has for Dane morph into something deeper.
The question is… does he have the courage to act on them?
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The Drunken Duck was so busy it was difficult to watch the door because people kept standing in the way, or they selfishly came over for a chat. Dane forced down his irritation. It wasn’t their fault he was only interested in talking to one person. He picked up the spare coaster in front of him and peeled it to shreds until he realised what he was doing and pushed it away.
He ran his hand through his hair and wrinkled his nose when waxy residue coated his fingers. Ick. He wiped them down his jeans and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He couldn’t keep still. His dad would call it the fidgets.
Anyone would think he was waiting for a date not a mate. He gave a self-deprecating laugh, glad that the music was loud enough to cover it.
As he strummed his fingers on the scarred wooden table he waited not-so-patiently for Ben. Who was just a friend. Nothing else. But like a lovesick puppy, his eyes drifted back to the door. His traitorous heart skipped a beat when Ben walked through them. The crowd parted like the red sea as Ben walked his way, completely unaware.
Act cool he thought to himself as he stood up and waved him over with a grin that made his face ache. Most definitely not cool. But Ben’s smile was just as large, so he tried not to let it worry him.
“Darling.” Dane leaned over and pressed a kiss to Ben’s cheek and they both settled into the booth opposite each other. His lips tingled from the brief scrape of stubble against them, and he took a quick drink to stop himself from licking the taste from his lips.
Their shoes accidently touched under the table as they got comfortable. Dane refused to read anything more into it. Though, he did spread his legs out a little further than socially acceptable, just on the off-chance Ben’s scuffed trainers would touch his boots again.
Ben looked delicious in a plain black T-shirt and dark blue jeans. They were crisp in that way new jeans did, a contrast to the old comfortable trainers on his feet. It was obvious he hadn’t dressed up—it just meant he’d needed new jeans, but Dane couldn’t stop the warmth enveloping his heart. He could have worn anything, and he’d dressed in something new.
Dane had put too much thought into looking effortless in his outfit tonight. A deep green shirt that fit him like a glove, and designer jeans that cost too much. They were over the top for a pint down at the local dive bar with a friend.
Oh, God. He was wearing date clothes. Was it too late to run off and change? Of course, it was. Ben was right opposite him. He probably wouldn’t notice he’d dressed up anyway; he was oblivious like that.
Dane slid the pint of lager he’d bought for Ben over to him and Ben smiled as he took a mouthful. “Thanks. I’ll get the next round.”
It was a perfectly friendly and normal thing to say.
A new band were playing, and they watched them for a while in silence. Dane willed himself to calm down as he concentrated on the hypnotic movements of the guitarist’s fingers. They played original songs interspersed with covers which was a clever way to keep the audience’s attention.
He was thinking of the music, not about Ben at all. Not one bit. The band was good, though he couldn’t remember their name for the life of him. He should try and find out who they were so he could download their music. Then he could listen to them whenever he freaked out about Ben—who he was still not thinking about. He watched them for a while longer and eventually noticed the owner of the bar was staring at the lead singer like a hawk.
“Do you see how Tigger’s watching the singer?” Dane said, leaning over the table so Ben could hear him over the music. Ben’s eyes widened and he twisted in his seat to look at the bar and then back. The band stopped for a break and the singer jumped off the stage and swaggered over to the bar directly in front of Tigger.
“Do you think…?” Ben let his sentence trail off.
“I think he wants to, even if they haven’t done anything yet.” Dane knew the feeling. It was a good distraction to watch someone else’s love life play out in front of them.
“I think they both want to.”
The singer’s elbows were on the bar, and he was leaning over to talk. Ben might be right. Unfortunately, Tigger had to serve other customers and their moment was lost. He and Ben settled back down and stopped snooping now there was nothing interesting to snoop at.
Ben was shy, and small talk didn’t come easy for him, but Dane could talk enough for both of them now his crisis was over, and he knew just how to put him at ease. “How’s the ferret?”
One mention of Chase and Ben came to life. He leaned over the small table between them and angled his mobile towards Dane. Their feet accidentally touched.
“He’s doing great. This is him sleeping in a blanket, and a hammock, on my bed, and…in my wardrobe. He does a lot of snoozing.” Dane looked at the dozens of photos of him sleeping in random places and laughed.
They were still looking at ferret photos when a loud shout interrupted them, and two very drunk and giggly bodies fell into their booth.
Jamie and Liam. If they weren’t two of his best friends, he might throttle them for barging in on his and Ben’s non-date.
He glared, but couldn’t stay mad at either of them, they were too ridiculous. Jamie’s curly hair was extra wild, and Liam had his T-shirt on inside out.
“Are you both drunk?” He poked Jamie in the ribs until he yelped and shook his head vigorously.
“Definitely not drunk,” Jamie slurred.
“I thought you were staying in to watch a film?” Dane was supposed to have Ben all to himself tonight. Jamie and Liam held hands over the table. It was sickeningly sweet, and Dane was ready to vomit.
“We were staying in. But wise guy over there decided we should watch Labyrinth,” Liam said.
Dane groaned and shook his head. “That’s a bad idea.”
“Why?” Ben asked.
“Because Jamie always has to turn it into a drinking game.” Jamie glared at him and swiped a gulp of his beer. Gross.
“You’re just jealous because I could always drink you under the table,” Jamie said.
“I don’t see what alcohol has to do with the Labyrinth?” Poor Ben was so confused.
Liam sighed dramatically. “You’ve never heard of the Labyrinth drinking game?” Ben shook his head. “Drink whenever the clock strikes thirteen, drink whenever Sarah says, ‘it’s not fair’, drink again whenever Jareth fondles his balls, again when Ludo calls the rocks…well, you get it.” They both burst into fits of giggles and Dane rolled his eyes. He was too sober to deal with these fools.
“Okay, okay. You watched Labyrinth, got terribly drunk—but why are you here?” Dane looked from one to the other.
Liam blinked at him and stared at him with glazed eyes. “We ran out of alcohol.”
Jamie nodded. “We were going to walk to the off-license to get more but then we remembered you were here.” Jamie gave Dane a sideways hug that was much too tight.
He caught Ben’s gaze across the table, and they stared at each other. They both bit back smiles as he tried to untangle himself from Jamie’s spaghetti arms.
The noise of their drunken friends disappeared for a moment and there was something in the look they shared. Intimacy, heat…was there more than friendship in Ben’s eyes or was Dane seeing things that he wanted to see?
Liam got up long enough to get him and Jamie drinks and a packet of scratchings to share. Jamie finally stopped hugging Dane so he could eat.
Dane tried not to think about the look he and Ben shared. Friends could share looks.
“I think you need more than scratchings to soak up the alcohol,” Ben said as they finished them off.
Liam sucked a finger so he could scoop up the bits clinging to the packet. He nodded in agreement. “We should go for a Cheeky Nando’s,” he said around his finger. Dane wanted to say something particularly dirty but it would be lost on them.
“Yes, Nando’s. Can we?” Jamie’s eyes were wide as he looked at Dane. He didn’t know why he was suddenly in charge, but it was better than either one of them.
“It’s probably a wise idea.”
“I don’t get why they call it a Cheeky Nando’s,” Ben said, and Dane fell a little bit more in love with him. Damn it.
Andi Lee lives in the UK, close enough to Birmingham city to be considered a ‘Brummie,’ but far enough away to enjoy the Staffordshire countryside. She enjoys writing in many different genres as long as they contain a large dose of cute guys falling in love. She’s a sucker for a happy ending.
When she’s not writing, she enjoys making junk journals and also jewelry out of polymer clay and resin. She has kept pet rats on and off for twenty years, and she fell in love with her first ferret when she found him on her way to work one day. Years later she happened to find another ferret on her thirty-first birthday. He was the best present she ever received. She is now owned by a small but fierce ferret called Oona.
Other Links:
Andileewrites.co.uk
Insta: @andlieewrites
Twitter: @andileewrites
Tik Tok: @andileewrites
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/533089193874599
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2879103.Andi_Lee
