All Cocks no Bull Blog Hop - WIN A FREE E-BOOK COPY OF ANY ONE OF MY BOOKS

Welcome to the All Cocks no Bull Blog Hop, an exclusive for m/m writers and readers. Whether you are a fan of the genre, or new to reading about men who love men, then I'm sure you'll enjoy what our writers have to offer for you.
Below you will find links to other authors who will give you a little taste of what they do, and to offer you a chance to enter a draw for a giveaway. I have FREE short stories you can read online (see above Menu) or you can download from SMASHWORDS.

For this blog hop I'm offering up an excerpt from a WIP "His Heart's Desire". The third book in the "Looking Glass" series.

EXCERPT

He opened the door to the place he’d called home for the past ten years. This had been his haven, his refuge since becoming the mirror’s keeper. He looked around the small room. Really looked. All it contained was the kitchenette, his bed and… There was nothing else of his in here. He owned nothing, and that was what his life had now become. One big fat nothing. While pulling off his tie, Simon walked over to the tiny bathroom and stepped inside. He started the shower, and then stripped, needing to distract himself from the pressure closing in around him. Once Alex left, Simon knew he was going to be alone, permanently, but wasn’t that better than not having his perfect man? The man he could love, cherish and be happy with? Unwilling to contemplate his future right now, Simon ignored the uncertainties running riot in his head. He stepped beneath the warm spray, intent only on washing away the thick grime of the day and the tension he couldn’t seem to purge. The water beat upon his head and shoulders, but it did little to ease the sharp pain behind his eyes or the lingering ache in his muscles. He grabbed the shampoo and poured a generous amount into his hand before rubbing the thick liquid through the strands of his hair. It was an effort to achieve a lather, to put any energy into soaping up and actually getting clean, but after a few minutes, Simon rinsed and turned off the water. Then he stood there, his forehead resting against the tiled wall, wondering if he had the strength to walk out and face Alex. “Simon?” Simon sighed. A part of him wished Alex had given up and gone home, but maybe this was the time to explain things to him. Not the mirror’s magic, but that Simon simply wasn’t interested and that Alex would be better off pursuing someone else. Someone more suited to him. Someone better. Simon gave himself a couple of seconds before he slid back the curtain and stepped out of the shower. His suit pants were still hung over the chair where he’d left them, but his shirt had fallen to the floor, and was now sitting in a wet puddle. Great, just great. He eyed the door, wondering what would happen if he went out there shirtless. Would Alex think Simon was coming on to him? Simon huffed out a small laugh, seeing the funny side of that thought. More than likely, Alex would take one look and demand Simon cover up. Looking down at his torso, Simon realized he should have put a little more effort into building some muscles. He wasn’t flabby, but he was never going to be buff. It didn’t matter what Alex thought of him though. Simon toweled himself dry then pulled on his pants, sans underwear. He ran his fingers through his damp hair then opened the door into what he hoped would be the last time he saw Alex. The young man was sitting on the bed, which wasn’t all that much of a surprise since there wasn’t anywhere else to sit. Simon ignored the look he received and rummaged in the drawer next to the kitchen. The drawer held his clothes and the few small possessions Simon owned from his life before the mirror. They evoked memories he sometimes tried to forget, others he wished he knew more of. While he was the mirror’s keeper, however, he’d never get a chance to find out more, never know where he originally came from or where could have ended up. He drew out a white T-shirt and self-consciously tugged it over his head. He could feel Alex’s gaze on him, burning into his back, and though Simon didn’t want to react, he couldn’t help but clench his jaw. It would be stupid to show Alex how disturbing it was having him here. Alex would probably say something about it, and Simon didn’t need Alex to do, say or feel anything. “I wasn’t expecting that,” Alex said, his voice soft. Simon turned while pulling his T-shirt partway over his chest. Alex was staring, and Simon’s skin prickled at the heat he thought he saw in Alex’s eyes. “Wasn’t expecting what?” he asked before remembering it was probably best he didn’t. “Your abs. I mean, wow.” “My abs?” Simon frowned, and then glanced back down at his flat stomach. There was some definition, but he certainly wouldn’t have said it was noteworthy. He automatically ran a hand over the tight muscles, and then realized what he was doing. Embarrassed, he quickly dragged his T-shirt the rest of the way down. “I’m assuming the food is here,” he said, distracting himself from thinking about what Alex’s comment meant. At Alex’s nod, Simon opened a cupboard and pulled out the two plates that came with the apartment. Plain white, they matched the two bowls and two mugs that were also here when Simon moved in. He hadn’t any need for anything else, but as he held the plates in his hands he became aware of how lacking his home really was. There was nowhere to eat. Not wanting to sit next to Alex on the bed, Simon didn’t particularly want to sit on the floor either. He considered the antique dining tables and chairs in the shop, but wasn’t sure that was a good idea. Alex might spill something and— “I’m not going to bite, you know. But if you feel more comfortable I can scoot right over to the edge.” Alex indicated the end of the bed, his smile both easy and knowing. Feeling like he’d already made a fool of himself, Simon didn’t want to appear more of an idiot. He perched as far away from Alex as possible without it seeming as if he was doing just that. Alex untied the bag holding the cartons of food, and then flipped open the tabs holding the carton’s closed. “I got a mixture because I wasn’t sure what you liked. There’s chicken curry, sweet and sour pork, Mongolian lamb, satay beef, dim sims, fried rice and noodles.” Appreciating Alex’s choice, Simon wanted to thank him, but would that constitute encouragement? Caught between politeness and a need to keep his distance, Simon handed Alex a plate, and then using the provided chopsticks, helped himself to some rice, chicken and one of the dim sims. He loved the crunchy, deep fried dumplings stuffed with pork and vegetables. They were his favorite. He dipped the morsel into the plum sauce they came with, and then took a bite, unconsciously moaning in approval. “Good,” he mumbled, glancing up at Alex. Alex was staring again, his mouth slightly open. Simon dropped his gaze, awkwardness suddenly eating at his appetite. He fidgeted, playing with the food on his plate. “I like them too,” Alex replied. “If I’d known how much you did, I would have ordered more.” “No, this is fine. Thank you.” Risking another glance, Simon observed Alex as he copied Simon’s movements; dipping the dim sim into the sauce and then taking a bite. A drop of sauce caught on the edge of Alex’s mouth, and as Simon watched, Alex stuck the tip of his tongue out and licked the little droplet away. For the first time in years, Simon found himself completely mesmerized. It had been so long since he’d sat opposite someone while they ate that he’d almost forgotten the simple pleasure of such an act. Alex seemed to enjoy his food. He didn’t rush, but he didn’t delay in trying the different dishes and their flavors. “Eat up, it’s going to get cold,” Alex said after he’d swallowed a helping of noodles. At least he didn’t talk with his mouth full. Simon forced himself to pick up a piece of chicken, and popped it in his mouth, but he was seriously self-conscious of Alex watching him. Alex smiled, and then nodded in satisfaction. He leaned back against the wall, seemingly at ease in a situation Simon found anything but.

I hope you liked this little bit of Simon's story. The full story should be released later this year. Look out for news. To get more information on new releases and other competitions, please sign up to this blog.

To enter the draw, please leave a comment below and tell me which e-book you'd like to win. Please also leave a way for me to contact you.

LINKS

GOODREADS

AMAZON | ARe | LOOSE ID | SMASHWORDS

Now, to check out other writers who have joined this blog hop CLICK HERE  or click their names below:

Hennessee Andrews, Andrew Jericho, Evelise Archer,

N.J. Neilson, Bronwyn Heeley, Nic Starr,

Jess Buffett, Toni Griffin, Freddy MacKay, RJ Jones.