Coming soon (Tuesday, March 10th), the launch of the final book in the Crow Creek Series and already I’m having separation anxiety.

MENDING FENCES Available for Pre-Order

KINDLE   ARe/OmniLit   B&N   Kobo

The GIVEAWAY is still going on…

 RAFFLECOPTER for the launch of MENDING FENCES  is still going strong.

Please join me in celebrating the conclusion to the CROW CREEK SAGA with a chance to win the GRAND PRIZE of a custom tote.

Second place will be eligible to win the print edition of MENDING FENCES (US, UK, AU, CA ONLY due to shipping costs)

From now until March 10th everyone who comments here (and leaves an email address or other contact information) will have a chance to win any one of the six books in the Crow Creek series, in your choice of formats (mobi, epub or PDF). Please specify in your comment which book you’d like. If you are new to the series, you can find out more HERE.

RAFFLECOPTER FOR GRAND PRIZE & SECOND PLACE

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Here are a couple excerpts from the book:

Meet Ben Kincaid. Excerpt from Mending Fences:

“Matt, can I ask you something? And promise me you won’t get mad?” Or embarrassed.

One eye opened, then the other. Even in the dim light leaking from around the firebox doors, Ben could tell his potential boyfriend was blushing scarlet and quaking like a leaf.

Boyfriend? Or lover? Neither fit. What he had was a friend looking to add benefits to a relationship sinking under the weight of the absurdity of their situation.

Since Matt hadn’t said no, Ben asked, “Is this your first time?” If Matt’s expression was anything to go by, Ben held a blushing virgin in his hands.

Matt surprised him by choking out, “No!” and then qualified it with, “Not exactly.” While Ben cogitated over the not exactly, Matt blurted, “I have lube…” and at that point Ben lost it, rolling over and clapping his hand to his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. It was a losing proposition.

Snorting through his fingers, Ben tried to roll away and give the man some space and a modicum of dignity, but Matt retaliated by blanketing Ben’s body, pinning him to the floor. Subtle brushing movements of Matt’s hips redirected Ben’s attention, his cock swelling and responding to the stimulation.

Matt whispered in Ben’s ear, “I have a question for you. And don’t be insulted.”

After the convulsions of laughter, Ben had no breath left so he nodded and waited for what new deviltry Matt Reynolds might be capable of.

“Do you know the difference between fucking and making love?”

Ben sucked air, not sure how to answer that. He’d expected a teasing barb, but Matt’s expression was serious. The answer apparently mattered to him so he needed to take care with how he expressed himself.

“Honestly?” Matt nodded. “Okay, truth is, I’m not sure, not now.” Matt sat up and scooted back enough to give Ben space to breathe. “You’ve probably guessed Oak and me… Well, we only had each other growing up. I loved him…” He turned his head, willing back the tears threatening to drizzle from the corners of his eyes.

Matt asked, “What happened?”

“Nothing really. We grew up, went to school, moved to different parts of the country. Couple years ago we got together by accident. But he had Ash…”

“You still love him?”

Ben cringed. That was the question, wasn’t it? If he said no, Matt would see the lie on his face—he was absolute shit at lying. And if he said yes, he’d risk having Matt cut him off before they even had a chance to get to know one another.

Damned if he did, damned if he didn’t.

He liked the man too much to risk losing his trust, so he said, “Short answer? Yes. Long answer, it’s complicated. He’ll always be my best friend. I’ll always love him, no matter what. But Oakley Richards MacBryde isn’t mine. Not anymore.”

Matt took Ben’s face in his palms and leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Life’s a bitch, ain’t it?”

“Yeah, it is. It’s taken me almost two years to come to terms with the way things are. I’m not saying I’m there, but one thing I do know … I’m ready to start moving on.”

Matt dismounted and wriggled until he’d spooned his bigger body around Ben. As sleep was taking hold, Ben murmured, “Sorry, I didn’t really answer your question.”

“Yeah, Ben, you did.”

Meet Matt Reynolds… Excerpt from Mending Fences:

For endless tours of duty he’d kept his secret safe, kept his head down, did his job and learned to be the kind of man who could be counted on in a fire fight, a man who put his compassion for his canine charges on the line for all to see. He’d been tracked for career military and a lifetime of living a lie.

After throwing the flakes on the ground, Ben joined Matt, mirroring his position with a right boot on the lowest rail and his arms folded along the top board. Other than sharing space, they’d exchanged few words, their silence assuming the mantle of comfortable rather than awkward.

“This is my favorite time of the day.” Ben spoke softly, as if reluctant to intrude on the rhythmic shuffle of shod hooves and tender muzzles lipping choice bits of alfalfa.

Matt paused before asking why, before committing himself to that opening, that invitation to learn more about the man who’d managed to wake him from his lethargy. Once, just once, he’d acted on impulse, on need and desire and maybe even a false sense of love, but that had been a costly mistake he’d paid for with his pride and his future. He’d vowed never to fall into that trap again and he’d made good on it, despite the therapy and the pills and the daily evidence all around him that it was impossible to do more than just exist.

He’d been on an emotional subsistence diet for so long, he’d forgotten the flavors of the heart, the sensation of touch and the fragrance of submission. The reason he was here now, armed to the teeth and ready for the confrontation with the last man who held the keys to his freedom, was to make sure his past and his future got severed so completely he’d be able to finally put the shame and the guilt behind him.

Ted Reynolds had kicked him to the curb, had stuck a knife in his gut, a knife that twisted and churned his insides every waking minute. At night, he’d relive the moment he’d been outed, followed by accusations of dereliction of duty. Stripped of his rank and thrust behind bars, it’d taken a miracle and a sympathetic attorney to cut a deal, but the damage had been done.

Somewhere in between day and night, he spared a thought for himself, girding his loins for the next step and the one after that as a civilian. He accepted being alone, but acceptance did nothing to allay the loneliness that was killing him. The only way to delay the annihilation of his soul was to shut down, to stop feeling. Stop wanting.

Yet, the first time he’d met Kincaid, the attraction had swamped him, knocking his brain and his emotions off-kilter. Why now? Why him? After all those years of denying who he was, he thought he’d learned the value of restraint, of keeping himself under control under all conditions.

The mantra I don’t need this. I don’t want it, got replaced with him making moves on the cowboy with teasing and easy-going banter. It was like a switch had flipped, and he didn’t recognize himself. It wouldn’t have mattered, except Matt had sensed Ben’s reciprocal interest, had caught the sideways glances and the flirtatious way they danced around each other.

When had I don’t turned into I do? I do want to know more about Kincaid, who he is, what he’s seen and done, what mistakes he’s made.

Perhaps he was posing the wrong questions. Maybe what he should be asking was, “Who is this Matthew Reynolds and where did he put the man with nothing left to lose?