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M/M, Contemporary Romance [55 Pages / 14,300 Words] AMZ / Apple / BN / Kobo / SW / All Buy Links When Reuben drives halfway up a mountain for his daughter's wedding, he's anticipating last-minute errands, unfamiliar faces, and an overwhelmingly emotional day. What he doesn't expect is the gorgeous and brazen young man who keeps getting swept into his orbit. Dusty seems to be a member of the wedding party, which makes him officially off-limits. The father of the bride has no business flirting with a groomsman, let alone doing any of the other things Reuben finds himself considering. At the very least they should properly introduce themselves, instead of indulging the thrill of being almost total strangers. The fact that Dusty is clearly friends with Reuben's future son-in-law should be all the impetus necessary to behave. But whoever he is, Dusty is earnest and sweet and impossible to ignore. There will be time for introductions later. For now, what harm can a little flirtation do? Forty minutes later, Reuben finds himself standing in a bright and spacious clearing behind the lodge, pressed into service decorating the outdoor venue for the ceremony. Folding wooden chairs have been lined up in perfect rows to seat easily a hundred guests, and Reuben takes a moment to absorb this information. Only about a dozen people—primarily the wedding party—have actually been invited to stay in rooms at the resort. But even so, this is a space designed to accommodate a significantly larger crowd than Reuben expected. He knew Tara and Beau were planning for a large wedding. He helped fund this shindig. And still, it's a little overwhelming to behold. Reuben's never been married. He doesn't know what it's like to sit at the center of a whirlwind like this. But it still boggles his mind when he tries to imagine the sheer logistics of inviting so many people to a wedding. Inside, a small team of groomsmen are setting up for the reception. But here in this scenic space, a dizzying vista between vast slopes covered in pine trees, Reuben stands alone beside a pile of plastic tubs, trying to decide how to string tulle along chairs and fences and a wooden trellis. Ideally, he wants his efforts to look good, but he'll settle for looking like it was done by someone marginally competent. If this were anyone else's wedding, he would expect the venue staff to handle the decorating. But he's too familiar with his daughter's DIY bent to be surprised that she's opted to do things the hard way. Hell, this probably would have been fine if not for the fact that nearly half the wedding party got stranded by the weather and hasn't yet stumbled into town. Reuben sure as hell isn't going to question his daughter's methods when she's already frazzled and overwhelmed. He's unwinding an especially long stretch of gauzy material, trying to keep it from tangling or blowing away, when from behind him comes a soft, "Here, let me." The voice is low and warm, tinged with an audible smile. And then a heartbeat later, quick hands pluck one end of the tulle from Reuben's grip. As soon as he's only got one end of the uncooperative length to deal with, Reuben is ready to concede that this should've been a two-person job from the start. Suddenly it's a simple matter to twist the fabric into an attractive configuration—just the right amount of swoosh and volume—and attach it to the backmost row of chairs with nearly invisible twist-ties. Only once the entire length is secure does Reuben turn to thank his rescuer, and find himself face-to-face with a handsome young man wearing an E Street Band t-shirt. The man is nearly as tall as Reuben, though compared to Reuben's broad shoulders and stocky build, the stranger is all lanky limbs and sharp angles. He has a handsome face, dark freckles, sharp jawline. A wild riot of curls, brown but tinging copper in the sunlight, gives him a chaotic aspect, but he stands with easy reserve, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he surveys their work. Even his profile is striking, a narrow nose and high cheekbones above an impish mouth. When he turns to study Reuben in return, his eyes widen as though he hasn't actually looked yet and is surprised by what he sees. Then his gaze dips lower, dragging along Reuben's frame in a sweep so brazen and appreciative that for a moment Reuben doubts his own senses. It's not as though the reaction is unfamiliar. Reuben's accustomed to garnering glances, most of them admiring. He's been getting even more than usual since he finished installing his home gym—a project years in the planning and a delight to finally have complete—and can let off steam by lifting weights whenever he wants. There's no way he looks his best in this particular moment. He caught a glimpse of the deep circles beneath his eyes in the mirror, the inevitable result of his night of poor sleep. And after his shower, he dried his hair impatiently, without any effort at styling. He hasn't shaved since yesterday morning, which means his silvery stubble has moved well beyond the five-o'clock-shadow stage. But he must look good enough to turn a head regardless, judging by this involuntary perusal. When his new companion's gaze jolts back up to his eyes—a guilty start followed by a blush that is far too charming to be reasonable—Reuben lets a slow smile spread across his face, enjoying the way it makes the man blush even deeper. "Thanks for the help," he says, not quite brave enough to say anything outright flirtatious before he's even introduced himself. He extends his hand in greeting. "I'm Reuben." The young man blinks at him for a moment—glances down at Reuben's hand like the gesture has startled him—then belatedly accepts and returns the handshake. "Dusty. I'm Dusty. Sorry for being so..." He gestures with his free hand, as though to encompass the frozen strangeness of a moment before. "I swear, I'm not usually a creep. Hopefully I'll have enough time to prove it before we all climb back down this mountain." "You don't need to prove anything." Reuben lets his expression soften, releasing Dusty's hand and surprised at how reluctant he finds himself to let go. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Dusty's grin spreads wide and dazzling. "Likewise." "Great. So." Reuben gestures toward the tubs full of decorating supplies, transparent plastic showcasing a veritable chaos of white, gold, and blue. "Do you have any idea what the actual plan is for all this stuff?" "Nope." Dusty shrugs. "Let's wing it and see what happens." AMZ / Apple / BN / Kobo / SW / All Buy Links |
Cover design by Yolande Kleinn ISBN 978-1-946316-47-9 |