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Title: Fusion
Series: Gravity Book Two
Author: Kindle Alexander
Genre: MM Romance
Release Date: December 27, 2024
Cover Design: Lori Jackson
Cover Photographer: Michelle Lancaster
2: The Sweet Daisy Mae
Dash
by Kindle Alexander
“Mornin’,” Beau chirped, slamming his cell phone on the kitchen counter. Well, not so much a forceful drop as a placement. But with my head pounding like a rock concert, it echoed like shattering glass falling down on me.
“Good morning,” I replied, but only because it was Beau. Anyone else might have received a cold shoulder. “We need to tackle the hangover cure again. You’re right, it feels very much like swine flu.”
“Told you,” Beau said. “You drinkin’ that?”
I glanced down at the Keurig, busy filling my cup with coffee. The answer seemed obvious, but I replied anyway. “Yeah?”
“Want me to get a couple of raw eggs to put inside?”
My dry heave was violent and instant. I pressed a hand to my stomach and took big breaths through my nose. Luckily, I got it under control. Beau wasn’t near as funny as he thought he was.
“I came home and hydrated. I feel okay, I guess.” Beau opened the refrigerator door as if to follow through with his threat. He better not… I watched as his hand reached for the side of the door. I didn’t need to see the bottle to know it was blue Powerade, Beau’s constant sidekick for his outdoor activities and these types of occasions. One bottle slid across the counter toward me, and he took another.
“I had one a few minutes ago and took the ibuprofen you left out. How did we get home last night?” I asked, pouring loads of honey into my hot coffee.
“That was all on me. I didn’t think about camera phones catching us leaving. Those are weird to me…” he said, then began chugging the drink.
His comment left me with more questions than answers. “The new phone I got you has a camera. If only you’d use it,” I said dryly. Speaking of dry, so was my throat.
I didn’t know what was so funny, but he’d just taken a sip, and his body pitched forward. I couldn’t tell if the droplets flying everywhere were from his mouth or the bottle he quickly jerked away. Without missing a beat, I tossed the hand towel on the cabinet to the floor. Amelia’s stern expressions, and years of training, reminded me that even a small spill could lead to chaos throughout the house.
“Why did you waste your money? My phone’s fine.”
“Your phone’s based on minutes and it’s six years old. They’ve stopped updating your operating system. I’d love to text you during the day…” I said, echoing the reasoning I gave at least three times a week since I bought the silly phone.
My oh-so-frustrating guy shut me down like it was his favorite pastime. “We’re not havin’ this conversation again. If we yap all day, what do we talk about at dinner? We’d already know everything the other did for the day.” His index finger and thumb went to the crease above his nose, telling me what a challenge I was to him. I’d show him a challenge… Just when I was ready to blast an argument, his hand did a slither movement from the top of his face to the bottom until it popped out at me, insinuating he was tired of the many times we had this conversation. That I was the problematic one, not him. As I opened my mouth to unleash the demons of my hangover, he raised said hand to silence me. Only the intensity of my love sealed my lips.
“As I was sayin’…” Beau shot me a look that could curdle milk, daring me to interrupt him. I rolled my eyes and clutched the coffee cup like a lifeline to better days. “Your buddies snapped a picture of me carryin’ you out. Got a call this mornin’ and used your phone to receive it.” The hydration drink was back at his lips as he sucked it down until the bottle was empty.
A million questions popped into my head as I tried to piece the puzzle together. “You’re going to have to tell me more. I don’t remember what happened. You carried me out of the club? How?”
“Tossed you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. For the record, potatoes are easier to carry than you are,” Beau said, discarding the plastic bottle on the counter and crossing his arms over his chest.
I nodded, already questioning the consequences of my actions. How was I ever going to be taken seriously again? I moved to stand in front of Beau where he leaned against the edge of the granite island countertop.
“Well, that was after you made me fuck you like I hated you…”
My heart skipped a stuttering beat. No. Please no. “You did that at the party?” Oh holy hell, I already knew the answer. Heat built over my body at lightning speed. Warmth crept into my cheeks. My breath shifted to shallow puffs. If anyone saw me in such a compromising position, my reputation would be ruined. I was sure to have a permanent code of conduct disciplinary action on my school record. Pain spiked through my headache to what I assumed was an unhealthy level.
“Yup.” Beau reached for the second bottle of Powerade. “I didn’t realize you were that drunk when we started. You passed out probably in the middle. I guess that’s about the time I started holding you up. It’s sketchy. I had too much to drink.”
“Explains my sore ass,” I murmured, willing myself to remember any of it. “Did anyone see us?”
“Not that I’m aware. You found an alcove. Curtains closed us in.” The pause felt designed to let that claim settle over me before he continued. “Alexis has claimed a spot as my new best friend. She called this mornin’ to let me know they caught evidence of me sneakin’ us out. She wanted me to tell you. And she taught me to twerk. I was solid. She kept slappin’ my ass. But that’s not all.”
Oh holy hell, not more. My brows furrowed. I had to brace my nerves. They couldn’t take much more. A key to my success was a constant representation of being a gentleman and a professional. Dammit. I blamed my family for last night’s transgressions too.
“Scott and Lauren and their baby are makin’ a pit stop in Dallas on their way home from a family reunion. They’re swingin’ by so we can meet the baby. They want to crash here for the night and leave tomorrow mornin’.”
“When?” I asked.
“Soon,” he said, reaching for my untouched Powerade bottle, flicking the lid open. “They’ll be here in about two to three hours. I couldn’t find a way to tell them no.”
“Right. Don’t tell them no.” I took a deep, steadying breath to dispel the lingering nausea. It didn’t help. “I’ll need to order in food. I’m not up to cooking. Do we need any baby supplies?”
“Nope.” Something in his tone had my gaze lifting to his cocked brow.
What now?
“They’re comin’ with the portable baby bed we sent when she was born.”
Dammit, I was outed. Beau had insisted I not spend over thirty or forty dollars on presents when the baby arrived. What could you even buy with such a low limit?
“I don’t think portable baby beds cost forty dollars max with delivery.”
“I got a deal.”
“You’re lyin’,” Beau countered. Damn straight. I rolled my eyes, then my head, and finally my body followed, turning to move between Beau’s spread legs, and placed my coffee cup on the counter behind him. I didn’t want him to be mad at me, mainly due to his cheap ass nature. He needed to leave future gift giving to me.
“Ding, ding, ding, some detective you are. Hold me.”
“Naughty boys don’t get lovin’” Beau replied, his lip curving up on the edge.
Ignoring that ridiculous edict, I wrapped my arms around his waist. It didn’t take much more than a few seconds for him to pull me closer.
“So we had sex at the party?” I asked, my cheek landing on his chest, staring out the back windows at the swimming pool. “Did I enjoy it?”
“’Course.”
“The way my ass feels, I’d say you hit it out of the park.”
Beau caressed a hand down my back. I was in desperate need of a shower and our guest drink options required an inventory check. The thought of booze ruined the small amount of willpower I’d managed to rally.
I shrugged off Beau with a yawn and started for the bedroom. My guy grabbed me by the wrist. “I’m goin’ to the store to get Scott some beer.”
“Give me twenty minutes, and I’ll go with you.” That suggestion seemed ambitious, but we’d see how it went.
Beau just shook his head and let me go. “It’ll take you longer. The shower alone takes you twenty minutes.”
“Make scrambled eggs. I’ll be fast.” I left him there to argue with himself. Meanwhile, the clock was ticking, and my hair wasn’t going to style itself.
I never imagined I could adore Beau more than I did, but boy, I got it wrong. The way he cradled Daisy Mae, Scott’s baby daughter, melted my heart in the most gratifying way. We needed to have children of our own someday.
“Sir, your credit card has been declined.” I had to rewind those words in my mind as I shifted my attention from the peaceful scene to focus on the phone call.
“That’s not possible,” I finally answered. “Can you try again?”
“I did, three times,” she said. “You’re a good customer.”
Sure, I appreciated the sentiment, but how did being a good customer have anything to do with my credit card? “Thank you?” I answered.
My shoulders tightened, and my belly knotted. It had to be a power play from my father. Were all my credit cards suspended now? “Can I pay cash to the delivery driver?”
“Absolutely. The total’s seventy-five twenty.”
“Great,” I said. Seventy-five dollars seemed a high price to feed four people.
“Give us about thirty minutes. Thank you, Dash.”
“You too.” I ended the call and brought myself back to the present. I’d delve further into this tomorrow.
With barely a toe through the door onto the patio, Beau’s gaze locked on mine. He swayed back and forth, cradling the baby like a pro. My heart did a somersault. “At first he was all like, nope, not touching her, and now I’m not sure he’ll ever let her go.”
“I feel like bein’ a godparent is like being a grandparent. I can love on her then give her back.” Beau’s genuine grin and heartfelt words hit me right in the feels. What a loving man. A good mix of loyalty, strength, and tenderness. No matter what curveballs my parents tossed our way, we would manage it together.
“Her face scrunches up at any noise or change in the breeze. I can tell she’s a fighter with a warrior’s heart.” He ran the tips of his fingers in small circles over her heart. “But I think she’s done somethin’ in her diaper.” He walked slowly toward Scott, suddenly ready to hand her off.
“I’ve got this one,” Lauren said as if anyone else was trying to take on the duty. Beau gently handed Daisy Mae to her mama who cradled her just as tenderly as Beau. “I’m gonna feed her. Maybe we can both take a quick power nap. I’m tired.”
Scott rose, giving Lauren then the baby a quick kiss. Even more endearingly, he went ahead of his family to open the door. “We’ll be quiet out here. If Daisy Mae doesn’t go to sleep, text me and I’ll come get her.”
They were sweet. Scott barely shut the door before he jerked his head toward Beau, superiority in his expression. “Just closed a ten-thousand-dollar contract. My cut is ten percent. I’m definitely gonna win.” Scott’s tone held confidence and determination. I’d only heard stories about this rivalry between Scott and Beau. I’d never seen it head-on. My brow crinkled, having no idea what he was talking about.
“Ha,” Beau shot back, not in a happy way. Condescension laced every word he said. “I put my application into buyin’ a FedEx ground route. When I get it, you’ll be left in the dust.”
Beau buying a route was news to me.
“Ha,” Scott mimicked. “You can’t afford a route. Good luck with that. And we agreed you weren’t usin’ his money.” With the way Scott pointed a finger at me, I felt suddenly and unwittingly included.
“I know nothing about any of this,” I said, my tone suggesting Scott and Beau were insane. The guy I lived with was trying to buy a ground route, and I didn’t know? We spent every available free minute together. The sweet emotions rolling through me from earlier turned into confusion and maybe a little hurt thrown in. I kept very little from Beau.
Before I could react, Beau started scanning the roof. I followed his gaze, wondering what he saw. Within seconds, he started toward the corner where one side of the house connected to the other. With one foot on the edge of a patio chair, he grabbed the ledge and was off, hoisting his body onto the roof. His balance was insanely good. With that same fluidity of movement, he fearlessly ran across the roof.
He repeated the same maneuver onto the second floor. A sudden memory of a younger Beau climbing in and out of his grandparents’ window helped me deal with the overwhelming burst of anxiety at Beau’s recklessness.
Another leap had him landing on the peak of the dormer window. He was as far up on the house as he could go. He mimicked Scott’s confident attitude as he glanced down at us. Well mainly at Scott as Beau splayed his arms and hands out. “I win.”
Besides the beads of sweat forming in my pits, all I could think about was how ridiculous they were, and how selfish Beau was being. What happened to our relationship if he miscalculated a step? Was I destined to pine for him for the rest of my life?
“Beau, get your ass down here,” I said firmly.
“Oh yeah, watch this.” Scott’s challenging tone had me looking away from the crazy guy on the roof to the other one shaking his fist, loosening his wrist and arm. A stone began to skip across the water in the pool. It managed to stay on top of the water for three quarters of the way before sinking to the bottom. The gauntlet was thrown. “I took the stone-skippin’ crown at the Dog River Festival three years runnin’. I didn’t want to rub it in at the time, but I win.”
Oh no, that was Beau’s old title. I felt to my bones the depth of how badly Scott got under Beau’s skin. He didn’t hesitate to respond and ran the few feet across the peak. Remarkably, he didn’t lose his balance before leaping into the water. A perfect cannon-ball off the roof into the deep end of the swimming pool.
My heart dropped to my feet. The seconds it took for him to emerge from the water were the longest of my life. When he popped up in a grand splash, his fist darted above his head. Scott mimicked the same fist pumping raise. Loud whoops and hollers came from both guys.
I reared back, grasping behind me for the arm of a patio chair, landing blindly on the seat. This was too much. “Scott, you can’t come back. You’re a bad influence.”
Lauren’s head poked out the back door. “Seriously? That’s quiet?” she called.
“Sorry, babe.” It was as if Scott instantly flipped a switch, transforming into the attentive husband again. “Did I wake her?”
Honestly, Lauren might have more attitude than either of them. “Well, of course you did. Come help me.” With no hesitation, he obliged, following her inside. She held an extraordinary grip on Scott.
My guy had that same kind of captivating control over me. My gaze fixed on Beau ascending the swimming pool’s steps with a smile larger than life. For me, the vision of my muscled-up guy coming toward me with water cascading down his body was an alluring treat. He made me forget why I was upset.
When he started toward me, I recognized his playful, predatory intent. He had a thing for enveloping me in one of his bear hugs that would wrinkle my clothing.
I leaped up, ready to dart away. Luckily, the doorbell chimed, giving me an excuse to leave. “Dinner,” I said. “I’ll be back.”
In almost a jog, I dipped back into the house. I couldn’t believe he’d jumped from the roof. We had to dial back his crazy adventurous spirit to a safer setting, if there was one. I shook my head, smiling.
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Best Selling Author Kindle Alexander is an innovative writer, and a genre-crosser who writes classic fantasy, romance, suspense, and erotica in both the male/male and male/female genres. It's always a surprise to see what's coming next!
I live in the suburbs of Dallas where it's true, the only thing bigger than an over active imagination, may be women's hair!
Usually, I try for funny. Humor is a major part of my life - I love to laugh, and it seems to be the thing I do in most situations - regardless of the situation, but jokes are a tricky deal... I don't want to offend anyone and jokes tend to offend. So instead I'm going to tell you about Kindle
I tragically lost my sixteen year old daughter to a drunk driver. She had just been at home, it was early in the night and I heard the accident happen. I'll never forget that moment. The sirens were immediate and something inside me just knew. I left my house, drove straight to the accident on nothing more than instinct. I got to be there when my little girl died - weirdly, I consider that a true gift from above. She didn't have to be alone.
That time in my life was terrible. It's everything you think it would be times about a billion. I love that kid. I loved being her mother and I loved watching her grow into this incredibly beautiful person, both inside and out. She was such a gift to me. To have it all ripped away so suddenly broke me.
Her name was Kindle. Honest to goodness - it was her name and she died a few weeks before Amazon released their brand new Kindle ereader. She had no idea it was coming out and she would have finally gotten her name on something! Try finding a ruler with the name Kindle on it.. It never happened.
Through the course of that crippling event I was lucky enough to begin to write with a dear friend in the fan fiction world of Facebook. She got me through those dark days with her unwavering support and friendship. There wasn't a time she wasn't there for me. Sometimes together and sometimes by myself, we built a world where Kindle lives and stands for peace, love and harmony. It's its own kind of support group. I know without question I wouldn't be here today without her.
Find out more by visiting www.kindlealexander.com or email me at kindle@kindlealexander.com
HOSTED BY:
Dash Richmond
After what my family did to us, I somehow manage to not only survive, but to thrive. I’m an attorney, a junior partner in one of the most prestigious law firms in the country. The climb up the ladder is daunting. But my guy, the love of my life, pushes me to never give up, and I haven’t. We know the sacrifices we’re making will give us a better life once my education pays off.
While that’s all true, fast forward in time. Somehow, I’ve lost my way. I’m walking a tightrope where one wrong step could cost me everything. Now I’m stuck in a place I never planned to be with a man who’s losing faith in me by the second.
Beau Brooks
My determination to be a self-made man is becoming a hard goal to achieve. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner. I love him beyond reason, but all that devotion isn’t helping me get through the long, lonely days and nights for months on end. Dash puts everything else first and is morphing into a man I don’t recognize, leaving me to live a life I never wanted.
When I finally see the truth in a way I can’t overlook, leaving my love is the only real option. Am I strong enough to make a change or will I continue to fade into the hidden shadows where Dash seems to want me to dwell?
Our strong relationship could unravel when the differences become too hard to ignore. Can the bonds we forged in our past hold us together or will our carefully laid foundation crumble, leading us to separate lives?
The Gravity Series is an unforgettable whirlwind romance chronicling the love of two men over three decades. Fusion heats up the scene with passionate alpha males who navigate the often rocky road to love. Love’s rarely easy, but when it’s true, it’s a battle worth fighting for.
Best Selling Author Kindle Alexander is an innovative writer, and a genre-crosser who writes classic fantasy, romance, suspense, and erotica in both the male/male and male/female genres. It's always a surprise to see what's coming next!
I live in the suburbs of Dallas where it's true, the only thing bigger than an over active imagination, may be women's hair!
Usually, I try for funny. Humor is a major part of my life - I love to laugh, and it seems to be the thing I do in most situations - regardless of the situation, but jokes are a tricky deal... I don't want to offend anyone and jokes tend to offend. So instead I'm going to tell you about Kindle
I tragically lost my sixteen year old daughter to a drunk driver. She had just been at home, it was early in the night and I heard the accident happen. I'll never forget that moment. The sirens were immediate and something inside me just knew. I left my house, drove straight to the accident on nothing more than instinct. I got to be there when my little girl died - weirdly, I consider that a true gift from above. She didn't have to be alone.
That time in my life was terrible. It's everything you think it would be times about a billion. I love that kid. I loved being her mother and I loved watching her grow into this incredibly beautiful person, both inside and out. She was such a gift to me. To have it all ripped away so suddenly broke me.
Her name was Kindle. Honest to goodness - it was her name and she died a few weeks before Amazon released their brand new Kindle ereader. She had no idea it was coming out and she would have finally gotten her name on something! Try finding a ruler with the name Kindle on it.. It never happened.
Through the course of that crippling event I was lucky enough to begin to write with a dear friend in the fan fiction world of Facebook. She got me through those dark days with her unwavering support and friendship. There wasn't a time she wasn't there for me. Sometimes together and sometimes by myself, we built a world where Kindle lives and stands for peace, love and harmony. It's its own kind of support group. I know without question I wouldn't be here today without her.
Find out more by visiting www.kindlealexander.com or email me at kindle@kindlealexander.com
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