T. A. Chase

Home of his Own excerpt

Okay…so the picture doesn’t have anything to do with the story. lol. I just liked it. 🙂

But here’s the blurb for Tony’s story (which I might have posted before)

Tony Romanos is searching for a place to lay his hat and his heart. Traveling on the professional bull riding tour is tough on relationships. He’s never found a man he’s willing to settle down for, or even a home he’s able to call his own.

Brody MacCafferty owns a bodyguard company which has a few perks. Being in Hawaii and picking up a handsome cowboy for a hot one-night stand is one of them. Brody doesn’t expect to see the gorgeous man again.

Neither man can forget that night in Hawaii and fate steps in, connecting them together in ways deep and true. Can Brody convince Tony that Brody’s arms are the very home Tony’s been looking for?

Excerpt:

Later that night, Tony sat on the porch, staring off at the shadows of the Rockies. He took a drag on his cigarette. It still amazed him how much Les’ ranch felt like home to him.
The sound of the front door shutting made him look over his shoulder.

Les stood, doing a visual check of the paddocks and yard. When Les seemed satisfied everything was right in his world, he turned to pin Tony with a speculative stare.

“I brought you a beer.” Les handed him the bottle before settling in the chair beside him.
Twisting the cap off, he took a swig. “Thanks. Where’s Randy?”

“In bed. He’s taking off in the morning with Jackson for a show in Nevada.” Les rested his head on the back of the chair.

“Head hurt?” Tony knew Les’ injury seven years ago made the older man susceptible to headaches.

“No. Just tired. All the last minute stuff for the show and Randy’s dad has been causing problems again.” Les grimaced.

“In a fair world, that asshole would be run over by a semi and put out of our misery.” Tony shook his head.

“Thank god, life isn’t fair. I’d have never met Randy if his father hadn’t been a complete bastard.”

“I guess there’s an upside to everything.”

They laughed. Silence fell between them and Tony was comfortable with it. He’d never really felt that level of comfort before.

“So get good news in the letter?” Les’ question was deceptively casual.

Tony chuckled. “I should have known you’d get around to asking.”

“Be happy I waited until Randy went to bed. He’d badger you until you told us. I have more patience.” Les tilted his head and winked at him.

Tony stood, wandering over to lean on the porch railing. He pushed his hat back on his head and stared up at the night sky. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you guys, but I needed time to work my mind around it.”

Les stayed quiet. Yet his presence gave Tony the courage to continue.

“I ran away from home when I was fifteen.”

“So young,” Les murmured.

“Maybe, but I didn’t feel like it. My parents gave all their attention to my sisters. They were the golden children.” For the most part, he’d gotten over the jealousy and anger. “I spent a lot of time on my own. Then I figured out I liked boys and I no longer existed in their eyes. They acted as if I’d seduce all the boys in the town.”

“Did you?” Laughter rang in Les’ voice.

Tony shot a smug grin at Les. “I’d have tried, but in the end it wasn’t worth trying to convince them being gay wasn’t an illness.”

“Don’t blame them. It’s hard to be different when there’s no one to support you.” Les shifted in his chair.

Tony put out his cigarette in the ashtray Margaret, Les’ housekeeper, kept out for him. He took another drink. Did he blame those boys for doing what society said was right? Not anymore. The only one he remembered was Luis, his first boyfriend and the scars from that relationship hadn’t faded.

“I don’t blame them. It was hard, especially in my neighborhood where everyone knew each other and being different was considered a sin.” He heard the bitterness in his words. “I couldn’t take it anymore. So at the end of the summer when I was fifteen, I left my parents a note and took off. Got odd jobs where no one asked my age. Survived until I hit eighteen and then joined the rodeo.”

Les’ hand gripped his shoulder and Tony let himself wish a little. Wish he’d met Les before Randy had. Wish he was a little less loyal and Les was a little less faithful. A hard squeeze and he accepted that fate knew what it was doing when it allowed Les and Randy to meet. Les had the easy-going nature to keep Randy’s temper from flying off the handle.

“Have you ever gone back?” Les’ honeyed drawl broke into Tony’s thoughts.

“No, not even when my youngest sister got married. Figured it wasn’t worth the drama. I keep in touch with my mother’s sister. Just enough so she knows how to find me. I sent her your address since you know my schedule and everything.”

“We won’t let you run off from here. Randy and I consider this your home.”

Les’ words touched Tony’s heart, but a small part of his heart knew he wouldn’t be happy until he found a love like his friends had.

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