Karma’s Kiss by M.C. Roth
General Release Date: 26th April 2022
Word Count: 63,879
Book Length: NOVEL
Pages: 230
Genres:
ACTION AND ADVENTURE,ANGELS AND DEMONS,CONTEMPORARY,EROTIC ROMANCE,GAY,GLBTQI,PARANORMAL,
THRILLERS AND SUSPENSE, WERESHIFTERS
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Book Description
Karma isn’t the worst curse to have after all.
Zack is running from his family, his past and a curse that has tainted his life since childhood. Fleeing his temporary home for the sake of his ex-boyfriend, Zack becomes stranded in a snow drift in the middle of nowhere, wearing nothing more than a spring jacket and an old pair of running shoes. Resigning himself to freezing to death, he is rescued by Eric, an irresistible man who treads the line between kindness and discourtesy.
Zack quickly realises that Eric’s home is a different kind of frozen hell. There is no electricity in the tiny one-room cabin, no running water and definitely no Wi-Fi.
But Eric is more than just a man. He is the only one who seems to be immune to Zack’s curse, and he has secrets of his own. Eric may be more dangerous than anything Zack has ever seen before.
Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of violence and the death of a secondary character.
Zack waited as long as he dared before he silently crept over to the bed, dragging the blanket behind him like a virgin’s veil. His eyes were drooping and scratchy from staring at the fire for so long as he’d listened to the soft snores coming from the corner of the cabin.
He had looked back a few times to see Eric’s shadowed face in the flickering light. Somehow, it became more beautiful with each glance. His long lashes fluttered in sleep, and his thin lips were parted, with just a hint of his tongue visible in the shadows.
Eric was even more attractive now that he wasn’t prying into Zack’s past or asking him questions about his orientation. Unfortunately, he topped the charts as one of the prettiest people who Zack had ever met.
Stretched out in sleep, the line of Eric’s triceps flexed as he lifted his arm over his head, revealing fine, dark hairs that speckled his underarm. His hair was the most unusual colour that Zack had ever seen. If he were anyone else or someone who wasn’t living in the middle of nowhere, then Zack would have sworn it was a fancy colour job. But out here, it screamed real to him.
He hovered over the bed for a full minute, glaring down at his sleeping companion that was hogging almost the entire bed. Most people would have done the polite thing when sharing—scooching to the side and turning towards the wall to leave space for a second person—but not Eric. He was sprawled across the mattress in a way that meant there was no way Zack wasn’t getting at least partially mauled in his sleep.
He’d had worse before, and he’d slept with less attractive men for a night of escape and a warm bed that wasn’t as lonely as a hotel room.
He turned away, shuffling to the toilet and looking back over his shoulder to make sure that he didn’t have an audience before he freed himself from his borrowed shorts. The blanket sank to the floor, keeping his feet warm against the cold that seeped through the planks of wood. Away from the fire, it was so much colder, and the wind oozed through the tiny holes in the house. It was apparent that Eric had never heard of in-floor heating or insulation.
He reached for the handle on the scuffed toilet, but his hand slipped along chilled porcelain instead. He squinted in the low light as he searched for a glint of silver anywhere. Something glanced against his foot as he shimmied to the side while searching for the hidden handle—a foot pedal. It was like something from an outhouse at a local fair and not something that should have been in a house under any circumstances.
He shuddered, grabbing the blanket and shuffling back to the bed, only to stare down at the sleeping man again. The corner of Eric’s shirt had ridden up, leaving a line of slightly tanned flesh naked to the cool air. There were no other blankets, except for the one that Zack had stolen, but Eric didn’t seem the least bit chilled.
That little glimpse of skin in the firelight made Zack’s mouth water. He could see the groove of the v-line of Eric’s groin, and the speckling of hair just above the track pants that hung low on his hips. The man didn’t seem to be wearing anything underneath, and Zack couldn’t recall seeing any boxers as he’d dug through the pile of clothing.
He wasn’t sure if the lump he could see in Eric’s pants was a trick of the shadows or a true outline. If it was real, then Zack was so ready to get jumped. The guy was an asshole, but he was fucking hung.
“Please stop staring at me and get into the bed.” Eric’s voice cut through the silence like a hot knife. His eyes were open, gold glowing, and watching as Zack stared at his package. His lips were a flat line, and he was obviously not a fan of the scrutiny.
Zack stumbled over an apology before he tossed the blanket onto the bed and followed quickly behind. “I just wanted to know what I’m getting myself into,” he said, staying at the very edge of the bed as Eric remained where he was, sprawled in the middle. Eric was so close that Zack could feel his heat radiating across the small space and smell the woodsmoke on his skin. His gold eyes never looked away.
“And?” the stranger asked, rolling onto his side and shuffling back as his nostrils flared wide. He took a few deep breaths through his nose as Zack tried to get comfortable on the bed, shifting the blanket over his feet.
“Why do you keep smelling me?” asked Zack as he not-so-subtly sniffed at his armpit. He was a touch sweaty from going without a shower for the last two days, but nothing that someone should be able to smell across the room. He would have freshened his deodorant shortly before he got into bed, but the stick was probably frozen solid in the trunk of his car by now. He was not getting up to get it and he probably wouldn’t be able to find his car in the dark, anyway.
The bed was comfier than he’d expected, with a pillow top and everything. He held himself taut at the edge, keeping his gaze fixed on Eric. The heat from Eric’s body was quickly building up between them, and the smell of his sweat thickened. That strange scent was there, too, so much stronger with Eric so near.
He breathed deep through his own nose, trying to separate the scents in his mind. There was distant laundry detergent—thank God—and the ever-present smokiness from the fire. Beneath that was something that seemed to hover close to Eric’s skin…something unique.
Zack pulled the blanket up so it covered his shoulders, keeping every bit of chilly air away from him. Eric’s heat wrapped tighter, enfolding his body like a suffocating force. The man was like his own personal furnace. It was no wonder that he hadn’t complained when Zack hadn’t given up the blanket.
There was a sound of a deep breath before Eric huffed, shutting his eyes. “I’m just trying to figure something out, that’s all.” There was a rustle and the bed shifted as Eric moved.
Zack felt his cock twitch. Eric was beautiful, heavenly even, and it was only natural for Zack to want him. The heat radiating from him made Zack want to snuggle into his chest, despite the sweat that slicked his skin. He wanted to tuck his face against Eric’s muscular neck and take a deep breath to see if he could start to piece together the puzzle in front of him.
He turned away, putting his back to Eric before the man could notice his steadily filling semi. Zack could feel the line of heat from his back to his hip, but he couldn’t move any farther away without falling off the bed. He bit his lip, trying to stifle the building warmth in his groin.
“Can I?” Eric asked, his voice quiet, and tinged with the same desperate loneliness Zack had heard by the fire. He looked over his shoulder, willing the flush off his face.
There was only the space for a breath between them. Eric’s hand was raised in the darkness, reaching his long fingers for Zack in the most personal way. Zack felt his face flush hotter as he nodded, numb from the lips down. He didn’t know what the man was asking him, but if there was one thing Zack loved, it was to be touched. It didn’t matter by who, or how, but to feel the connection of the press of someone else’s naked skin was the greatest freedom in the world.
“Come here,” said Eric as he slid his hand around Zack’s waist and tugged him back into the middle of the bed. Zack let himself go, a gasp rushing through his lips as the warmth from Eric’s arm soaked into his skin, making every hair on his body stand on end.
It was more than just a touch. It felt like something so much bigger, almost monumental, and it was like nothing he’d ever experienced before. Every nerve was firing, and his skin felt brand new, like freshly peeled sunburn. His cock was like steel from the simple touch.
Every hard line was solid against his back, and something else was nestling against his ass—something that was soft now but had the potential to be so much more. It already felt massive.
He shivered, sweat dripping down his back and wicking into his borrowed shirt.
The tip of a warm nose swept over Zack’s neck as Eric took another deep breath, settling beneath his ear before a puff of warm air tickled his flesh. He trembled again as Eric pulled him tighter, engulfing him in warmth that was too blistering to be completely natural. He must’ve been suffering from hypothermia, after all, for Eric to feel that warm.
Something pinged in Zack’s mind. The alarm was quickly muted as his cock flexed, and he let out a shocked gasp at the touch of skin against skin. It was as if there were a direct line from his neck to his cock. Eric’s lips were so close to him—so close that he could turn his head to the side, and they would touch him. Zack wondered if they would be as soft as they looked.
“What are you?” Eric asked for the second time that day. His nose traced the line of Zack’s jugular that was throbbing beneath his skin. His breath fluttered against Zack, so perfect and soft that it made Zack want to beg for more. He was touch-starved from holding himself back. He hadn’t let someone hold him like this for as long as he could remember.
He had always pushed them away, too afraid what would happen if he got too close. But Eric had already proved that he was in no danger from Zack’s curse. In fact, Zack could almost feel the darkness under his skin, purring at the contact and making him feel so alive that he wanted to scream with joy.
Zack was hard. His body didn’t care if the guy behind him was out of his mind…or a dick. Even his better judgement didn’t care at this point. There was an empty spot in his chest that had carved deeper every time he’d fled. Eric was searing into him, healing the wound as if it were never there in the first place.
He couldn’t even imagine his ex’s face right now, and for the life of him, he couldn’t remember what colour his hair was. His mind was too overwhelmed with flashing gold eyes, and calico hair.
“I’m so gay,” Zack breathed through dry lips. He flushed even hotter, his face feeling like he’d never left the fireside. He couldn’t think straight, especially when Eric paused, and a huff of warm air burst over his skin as he laughed.
“Okay?” He didn’t tighten his grip or let go, and the tickle of breath was fraying every nerve in Zack’s body. Zack shifted on the bed, his ass accidentally pressing against Eric’s groin.
Yes, accidentally, Zack tried to tell himself.
Something had grown, and it wasn’t his imagination. It slipped between his cheeks like the best kind of invasion of privacy. Why hadn’t he decided to sleep in the nude? He was definitely on board, and Eric seemed like he might be down with a little late-night action.
“Go to sleep,” said Eric with his voice on the edge of a growl. He shifted his hips back and withdrew in a burst of chilly air. The bed groaned, and the blanket tugged on Zack’s shoulders as Eric rolled away to face the frigid wall of the cabin.
There was a prickle of heat everywhere Eric had touched, and his groin was a throbbing mess. How could he ever expect to sleep now? His exhaustion had evaporated, leaving a buzzing horniness that would only recede with an orgasm.
“Wanna fuck?” Zack called into the darkness, slowly turning over to look at Eric’s back. His tank top barely contained his flexing muscles. “I’m fully on board, if that’s what was stopping you. I mean, you heroically rescued me from a storm, and you’re hot as fuck. I’m down if you are.” There was no question if the man was actually gay or not. No straight man would spoon another man and smell them for no particular reason.
He paused, waiting for an answer that never came. His cock caught against the heavy blanket as he rolled, making his toes curl. He fisted the furs, drawing his fingers through the tangled strands.
“I’ve been tested recently, too. I’ve been with other guys up until a few days ago, but I always used protection. Never done the bareback scene.” Zack sat up and let the blanket fall to his waist. The air was cool, but he suddenly felt too hot for his own skin. He played with the hem of his shirt as he waited for an answer. There was a huff in the darkness, but the stranger didn’t reply.
“You know, I usually don’t have to beg for sex,” said Zack, the first edge of anger seeping into his voice. He was so hard that it was starting to ache, and the scent of pine and smoke were doing nothing to quell it. If anything, it was making it worse, and he was barely holding back from plunging his hand in his pants and getting himself off. That seemed over the line, though.
“Did you consider that I’m just not that easy?” Eric replied, never twitching from his rigid pose. Even his voice sounded hot enough to melt snow, and it sent a whole new wave of sensation along Zack’s spine. Christ, he wanted the man. He wasn’t quite sure why, but he wanted him more than anything.
“I guess not.” Zack let out a pinched sigh and took a few deep breaths, trying to clear his fuzzy head. The cloudiness didn’t ease, and his cock throbbed painfully. “Do you care if I jerk off then, man? I don’t think this is going away any time soon.” To prove his point, his cock dribbled pre-cum on the inside of his borrowed shorts, the thought of gold eyes watching him making him that much hotter.
“Just…” Eric cut himself off and took another deep breath.
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M.C. Roth
M.C. Roth lives in Canada and loves every season, even the dreaded Canadian winter. She graduated with honours from the Associate Diploma Program in Veterinary Technology at the University of Guelph before choosing a different career path.
Between caring for her young son, spending time with her husband, and feeding treats to her menagerie of animals, she still spends every spare second devoted to her passion for writing.
She loves growing peppers that are hot enough to make grown men cry, but she doesn’t like spicy food herself. Her favourite thing, other than writing of course, is to find a quiet place in the wilderness and listen to the birds while dreaming about the gorgeous men in her head.
Find out more about M.C. Roth at her website.
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