Lord of a Thousand Steps
(Love in Laguna #4)
by Tara Lain
Blurb:
To architecture student Ian Carney, family means everything. Taken in by his brother, Jim, when his father threw him out at eighteen for being gay, Ian yearns to create his own family with his boyfriend, Rico. But Rico’s in Mexico caring for a sick father, Ian hasn’t had sex in a month and a half, and his gorgeous boss, Braden Lord, CEO of the architectural firm Ian interns for, is looking better and better.
Braden’s life is chaos. Just out of the closet and going through an ugly divorce from his wife of fifteen years who’s trying to take custody of his two children, he desperately resolves not to succumb to a completely inappropriate attraction to Ian—even though his kids adore both the man and his crazy cat.
When Rico proves to be a snake in the grass and Ian exercises his powers of seduction, what starts as a “friends with benefits” fling turns into real life real fast. Can Ian give up his romantic dreams for an “old guy” who didn’t come out until he carried a mountain of baggage? It’ll only take a thousand steps.
Release Date:
August 31st 2016
Pre-order at
Also in paperback
Excerpt
Max slapped his shoulder. “Everything okay, Carney?”
“Uh, yes. Thanks.” He steadied his glass to keep from spilling, looked up as Braden Lord stepped next to him, and proceeded to slosh champagne all over Lord’s elegant, European leather shoes. “Oh God, I’m so sorry.”
Max slapped him again. Maybe a couple too many drinky poos there. “My fault. Totally my fault. Braden has more shoes, right, Bray?”
“Yes, not a problem.” Braden smiled at Ian. Up close, that face looked a little less pretty but even more interesting, with crinkles around his eyes like from laughter—and pain. “Need more champagne?”
“Oh, I guess I better not. It seems like I can’t handle it.”
“Something else, then?” Lord looked in his eyes.
Whoa, what an offer. Get your mind out of your boxer briefs, idiot. “No thanks. I guess I should go soon.”
Max leaned toward him. “How’s your boyfriend’s father?”
“Uh, I don’t know.” Did he sound as pathetic as he felt? “I mean, the cell service isn’t great.”
“Oh, I heard it had gotten so much better the last couple years.”
“I guess not.”
Lord put a hand on his shoulder. “No, I’ve had cell problems in Mexico. It can be spotty. Probably worse if you’re in a hospital.”
As the heat from Braden’s hand seeped through his cheap sports coat, Ian half wanted to cry and half to kiss Braden Lord. Right, Rico was in a hospital. He couldn’t use the phone. Shit, why hadn’t he thought of that? “Thank you.”
“For what?” Lord smiled softly. He knows what.
“Reminding me that I should leave him a message he can read when he goes home. Thanks again. I better go. I have school tomorrow.” He shook the hands of the two clients he’d been chatting with. “I hope to see you again. You’re in great hands with Lord and Kendrick.” He turned. “Max, I’ll see you Monday.” He turned back to Braden but looked at his feet. “Sorry again. I hope I didn’t stain your shoes.”
“Nothing to worry about.”
Look up, dummy. He plastered on a smile and met Braden’s deep sea-blue eyes. “Thanks again for inviting me. Honored.” You can drown in the sea.
“Glad you could come.” Lord’s face looked friendly, sympathetic, and—what? Disappointed?
Shit. Give me one chance to impress, and I’ll spill something every time. Holy fuckhole, how does a guy get that gorgeous? “Night.”
Max said, “Don’t you need a ride?”
“Nah, thanks. The office is close and my car’s there.” He waved and practically ran to the door of Antonio’s. Outside, the nightly drop in temperature slapped his face. Had he been flirting with the boss? Hell, the boss’s boss? Nah. Just shitting on his shoes.
“Uh, yes. Thanks.” He steadied his glass to keep from spilling, looked up as Braden Lord stepped next to him, and proceeded to slosh champagne all over Lord’s elegant, European leather shoes. “Oh God, I’m so sorry.”
Max slapped him again. Maybe a couple too many drinky poos there. “My fault. Totally my fault. Braden has more shoes, right, Bray?”
“Yes, not a problem.” Braden smiled at Ian. Up close, that face looked a little less pretty but even more interesting, with crinkles around his eyes like from laughter—and pain. “Need more champagne?”
“Oh, I guess I better not. It seems like I can’t handle it.”
“Something else, then?” Lord looked in his eyes.
Whoa, what an offer. Get your mind out of your boxer briefs, idiot. “No thanks. I guess I should go soon.”
Max leaned toward him. “How’s your boyfriend’s father?”
“Uh, I don’t know.” Did he sound as pathetic as he felt? “I mean, the cell service isn’t great.”
“Oh, I heard it had gotten so much better the last couple years.”
“I guess not.”
Lord put a hand on his shoulder. “No, I’ve had cell problems in Mexico. It can be spotty. Probably worse if you’re in a hospital.”
As the heat from Braden’s hand seeped through his cheap sports coat, Ian half wanted to cry and half to kiss Braden Lord. Right, Rico was in a hospital. He couldn’t use the phone. Shit, why hadn’t he thought of that? “Thank you.”
“For what?” Lord smiled softly. He knows what.
“Reminding me that I should leave him a message he can read when he goes home. Thanks again. I better go. I have school tomorrow.” He shook the hands of the two clients he’d been chatting with. “I hope to see you again. You’re in great hands with Lord and Kendrick.” He turned. “Max, I’ll see you Monday.” He turned back to Braden but looked at his feet. “Sorry again. I hope I didn’t stain your shoes.”
“Nothing to worry about.”
Look up, dummy. He plastered on a smile and met Braden’s deep sea-blue eyes. “Thanks again for inviting me. Honored.” You can drown in the sea.
“Glad you could come.” Lord’s face looked friendly, sympathetic, and—what? Disappointed?
Shit. Give me one chance to impress, and I’ll spill something every time. Holy fuckhole, how does a guy get that gorgeous? “Night.”
Max said, “Don’t you need a ride?”
“Nah, thanks. The office is close and my car’s there.” He waved and practically ran to the door of Antonio’s. Outside, the nightly drop in temperature slapped his face. Had he been flirting with the boss? Hell, the boss’s boss? Nah. Just shitting on his shoes.
Love in Laguna Series
Available for purchase at
Paperback from Dreamspinner
Available for purchase at
Paperback from Dreamspinner
Available for purchase at
You can order the paperback here.
About the Author
Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 32. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Paranormal Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog near the sea in California where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!
You can find Tara at Lain
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Thank you so much for the Reveal!! *hugs* : )
ReplyDeleteMy Pleasure!!! Hugs !!
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