Archive for At First Touch
Wednesday Work in Progress
Since At First Touch and Every Shattered Dream are the two I’m still working on this week, I thought I’d give you another small peek at At First Touch, our soccer(football) story. đ Also, I wanted to let you know that I might not be able to post the next installment of Hearts tomorrow. I’m going to be busy all day with real life stuff, not writing. Unfortunately….and I’m not sure I’m going to be up to writing when I get home tonight. But I will try and post something on Friday. I don’t want to leave you or the guys hanging…lol
so here’s another snippet from At First Touch.
At First Touch copyright c.2013 T.A. Chase and Devon Rhodes
Excerpt:
The stadium vibrated with the stomping and chanting of the fans as the teams came out on the field. Ewansiha felt the energy rise from the soles of his cleats up through his legs into his chest. It was almost like being at a rock concert, and feeling the bass drive the beat of his heart until he thought it would come out of his chest.
His cock stiffened, and he was happy his shorts were baggy enough, none of his fellow teammates would notice. Of course, he was pretty sure most of them sported hard-ons of their own. The excitement of the fans and the adrenaline of the players conspired to get them all hornier than monkeys.
Lukas jogged down the sideline next to him, and Ewansiha didnât his best not to stare at him. Waking up to find him in his bed that morning had freaked Ewansiha out a little. Oh, it wasnât the first time theyâd slept together or anything like that. What had freaked him out was how right it felt to have the blond in his arms, and sharing his bed.
âHeads up, King.â
He looked up in time to catch the ball Padraig had thrown at him. Guess I should be happy he warned me instead of just letting it hit me in the face. Allowing the ball to drop to the ground, he began kicking it from foot to foot as he ran along
âHey Schulz,â he called, and when Lukas glanced over at him, he kicked the ball to him. Lukas took it in stride, then proceeded to return it to him without pausing.
They ran some more warm up drills, including Paolo and Padraig along with the other guys who were going to be starting the game. Ewansiha would start, but he knew that later in the second half, when it got close to the referee calling time, the coach would pull him to put Lukas in. He was fine with that because his knee would be screaming by that time, and heâd be ready to call it quits for the day.
Their last practice had been run at full speed, and heâd needed Sergioâs magic hands and a tub full of ice to be able to walk out on his own two feet yesterday. His doctors all had promised him that the ache would fade over time, but Ewansiha was afraid that there would always be some lingering pain, waiting to take him out at the most inopportune times. He wanted to be able to play football for several more years, but he wasnât positive that was going to happen.
He and the other nine men who would be starting the first game of the new season lined up to take shots at Paolo in goal. The man clapped his yellow gloves together, jeering at them, arrogant as always about being able to keep the ball out of the net.
Ewansiha knew how to score on Paolo, having played on the same team with him for five years and studying the manâs every move. It was insurance in case his contract ever got bought out by a different team, and he had to play against the goaltender. He wanted to be able to do it.
He jogged slowly towards Paolo, keeping his gaze on the man, not the ball at his feet. Heâd always had a âsixth senseâ about where the ball was at all times, whether he had it or someone else did. Ewansiha watched Paolo, waiting for the right moment. There!
Paolo had shifted his weight to his left foot, putting all of it on his heel like he thought Ewansiha would kick the ball to the right, and Paolo would have to push off with that foot. It would put him off balance, not giving him enough time to react to Ewansihaâs kick.
Ewansiha drove his foot forward, propelling the ball as fast as he could towards Paolo. The goalie reacted too late, and the ball hit the back of the net. Paolo glared at him, but Ewansiha simply nodded to the man before taking off back to the teamâs bench. He didnât need to take any more shots to prove that he had Paoloâs number.
âYou always score on him, even during mock games,â Lukas said softly under his breath as they took sips of Gatorade while waiting for the coach to give them last minute advice.
He shrugged. âItâs not hard when you know what to look for.â
Lukas shot him a quick look. âWill you show me?â
âTonight at my place, weâll go over some game footage, and I point out what Iâm looking for before I hit the ball at Paolo.â
âThanks.â Lukas bumped their shoulders together, just like two normal teammates would before a game.
âNo problem, man. Youâre going to be taking my place at some point. Want to make sure youâre as good as you can be before that happens.â Ewansiha had never been against sharing his secrets with teammates he liked. He never understood men who didnât try to help the people they worked with. When one of them got better at his position, all of them got better as a team.
âAll right, men. You know the game strategy. Kroenig, I want you playing center back to start. Defending might be easier on your knee. Weâll get you back playing center forward by the third game.â
Nodding, Ewansiha wasnât going to complain. Part of his usefulness on the team was the fact that he could play both forward and defender positions, though he was stronger as a center back. Yet the coach knew best, and he still wasnât at a hundred percent, no matter what the doctors had told him.
âTime to go, gentlemen.â The referee told them as he ran past to the center of the pitch.
âOâLeary, youâre center forward this game. The rest know where your spots are.â The coach gestured for Padraig to go to the middle of the pitch to do the coin flip.
Their team lost the toss, but none of them were worried about it. Once their opponents chose which goal they wanted to attacked, everyone took their positions. Ewansiha settled in his spot, then shot Lukas a quick glance.
Lukas grinned at him before giving him a wink. Chuckling, Ewansiha shook his head slightly before slipping into his game mentality. The pitch wasnât the place for him to get distracted by his lover.
New Cover….
the last couple of Fridays I’ve been neglectful about posting stuff..lol. Sorry about that. I get busy with other things, and while I think about posting, I never actually get around to it. So I thought I’d sit and put something up while I’m thinking about it. đ
This is the cover for my story in the Unconventional in Atlanta anthology. It goes up for pre-order on July 5th…and will be general release in August. Again, they’ll release all the stories separately around November and December. Mine comes out in December on its own. I love this cover because it fits perfectly with the story. đ
Also, Stealing Life is up for VIP pre-release now. If you didn’t get it when it was available at the other publisher, well…now’s your time. It’s discounted as well. đ For those of you who already bought it before, you don’t need to pick this up unless you love the new cover…lol. Which I love both covers this story has gotten. đ The only difference in this version is I pared it down a little. so it’s a little shorter than the original version, but not by much. đ
I’m working on Every Shattered Dream and At First Touch today…hoping to get both of them wrapped up in the next couple of days, so I can get back to work on Restoration Project and a few other short stories I want to finish up.
Have a great day, everyone.
Wednesday Work in Progress….
Well actually my works in progress are the same. At First Touch and Every Shattered Dream (Yes…I did change the title for that story. Decided this shorter version was catchier…lol) So I’m not sure what to share with you. Maybe a snippet from a short story I’m hoping to finish up next month. đ
It’s titled Restoration Project...and features a mechanic and the race car driver he’d fallen in love when the driver was a teen. đ
Restoration Project copyright c. 2013 T.A. Chase
The garage was deserted as Billy Joe strolled in to start his work day. Glancing around, he noticed all of the guys gathered around the front of the building, nudging each other and grinning like school kids.
âAngelina Jolie better be standing at the front door, gentlemen. Thatâs the only excuse you can give me for why youâre all huddling like a group of girls instead of working,â he quipped as he pushed through the crowd.
âBetter than that, boss.â Jimmy turned and winked at him. âThough most of us donât know whether to bow down to the bastard or punch him out.â
âWhat bastard? What the hell are you babbling about, Jimmy?â
Billy Joeâs mouth dropped open as he made it to the front of the crowd and set his eyes on what the rest of the guys had been ogling. Shit, it was better than Angelina Jolie, not that Billy Joe ever got a hard-on for her, but his dick got stiff when he saw the car., though there was something familiar about this particular car.
âPlymouth Hemi âCuda,â he whispered, hands itching to touch the gleaming fender. He stuffed them in his pocket.
âYep.â Jimmyâs eyes sparkled with envy and lust. âCan you believe that the lucky bastard who owns this car smashed in the rear quarter panel? God, he shouldnât be driving a car if he canât keep from getting a scratch on this one.â
The rest of the guys nodded and Billy Joe snorted.
âWhereâs the owner?â
âIn with Dwayne.â Jimmy gestured over to the managerâs office.
Billy Joe headed that way. âMaybe you guys should start working before Dwayne comes out and kicks all your asses.â
They scrambled to their bays, none of them wanting to be standing around idle if Dwayne left the office. The manager of the garage liked busy employees. He didnât like them drooling over customersâ cars.
He knocked on Dwayneâs door, then waited for his boss to call come in before he entered.
âAh, Billy Joe. Glad youâre here. We got a new project just come in that I want you to take.â
âSure.â
The man sitting in front of Dwayneâs desk stood before turning. Billy Joeâs mouth dropped open for the second time in as many minutes.
âFuck me.â
Axel Robinson bit his lip and Billy Joe could tell the man was trying to not comment on what heâd just said.
âWhat are you doing here? Is that your âCuda?â
Axel nodded. âDelacourte took a bat to it after he got disqualified during our last race. The asshole drove me into the wall going into the second turn, and he gets pissed at me because he lost the race.â
Billy Joe managed to tear his gaze away from Axelâs face to see the sling holding Axelâs right arm and the scraps on the manâs face. âDelacourte always was a cowardly bastard and a poor excuse for a driver. I bet your father was shitting bricks when that happened.â
Grinning, Axel nodded. âChuck had Pop wrapped up tighter than a nunâs thighs. Pop wanted to beat the jerk to a pulp.â
âCanât blame him. Youâre a far better driver than he is, even with one arm tied behind your back.â Billy Joe winked at Axel before giving the man a quick hug. âWhat brings you to the garage?â
The younger man accepted Billy Joeâs hug without wincing and afterward, gestured in the direction of the âCuda with his chin. âI knew you worked here and there isnât anyone else I wanted touching my baby.â
Billy Joe looked over at Dwayne who nodded. âIâll take Jimmy off the BMW and put him on your job. You can take this one.â
âThanks, boss.â
âNo problem. We have enough good mechanics that I can humor a request.â Dwayne wiggled his eyebrows at Billy Joe from behind Axelâs back.
Billy Joe rolled his eyes and settled his hand at the small of Axelâs back to lead him out of the office.
âDo you want to go over the car with me? Or should I call you with an estimate?â
Axel checked his watch. âShit, I have to get back to headquarters. We have a meeting to discuss the next race. Why donât you call me? We can meet up for dinner tonight and talk about the cost.â
âGreat. Your number the same?â
âYeah. Didnât have a reason to change it.â Axel slapped Billy Joe on the shoulder. âItâs great to see you, man. You need to come over to our garage and see Pop. I know he misses you.â
âTell him I said hi and I just might make it out to the races some day soon.â
Axel tossed him the keys to the âCuda, then headed out of the garage. Billy Joe turned to see all the mechanics staring at him.
âNo way? Itâs just not fair that you get to work on this car.â Jimmy pouted, but Billy Joe saw the twinkle in the manâs eye.
âHey, why settle when you can have the best mechanic do the work?â Billy Joe made his way to the car. âI know this car better than anyone but Axel. I helped him drop the engine in it after we got the body restored.â
After climbing in the car, he ran his hands over the steering wheel and grinned. It was good to see Axel again. Of course, the man had been all of seventeen when Billy Joe quit working for his dad, but still Axelâs boyish good looks warned of how devastatingly handsome he would become as he matured. Now at twenty-five, Axel was sex walking and Billy Joe didnât know if going out to dinner with him was the wisest choice.
He turned the key and the roar of the engine brought back memories of the night they dropped the engine. Axelâs smile filled his whole face when they started it and it roared to life on the first try. The kidâs enthusiasm was contagious, but Billy Joe hadnât been prepared for what the kid did next. Axel threw his arms around Billy Joe and hugged him tight.
The shock of their bodies touching from chest to knee just about drove Billy Joe to the floor. When his cock got hard at the scent of Axelâs sweat and grease, he knew he needed to stay away from Axel until the kid was older. No point in getting into trouble with Big Phil, Axelâs dad and Billy Joeâs boss.
Of course, back then, he didnât know if Axel was into guys or not. There had been some signs of flirting while they worked on Axelâs baby, but Billy Joe always believed it was wishful thinking on his part.
By the time Axel turned eighteen, and Billy Joe could set about discovering which side of the fence Axel played on, Billy Joe had quit and left the racing scene behind him. Now he was getting another chance to reconnect with Axel. Heâd admit, only to himself, that he missed Axel more than working on the race cars.
Someone slapping the window drew his attention back to the present. Turning his head, he saw Dwayne standing outside the car.
âTake her to bay fourteen. You can work on it there. If you need another pair of hands, you can get Heath to help you.â
âThanks.â
He drove the car carefully into the garage before parking it in the bay Dwayne specified. After climbing out, he stood, glaring down at the dented rear panel and the scratches. Damn Delacourte. The bastard was childish and hateful, blaming others for things he brought on himself. If Billy Joe ever got close to the man again, heâd introduce his fist to Delacourteâs chin.
After grabbing his coveralls off the hook, he tugged them on. It was time to figure out how much it was going to cost Axel to fix the damage.
Wednesday Work in Progress….
Our Wednesday Work in Progress happens to be Book 3 in the International Men of Sports series by Devon Rhodes and me. đ This one takes place in Germany and has two elite footballers (soccer players) as the stars. My guy is Ewansiha “King” Kroenig and he’s half Nigerian/half German. Devon’s guy is Lukas Schulz, and he’s all German. We’re working on finishing this one up, and it’ll be out for general release in Sept., but of course, it’ll be available for pre-order and pre-release earlier than that. And as soon as it is, I’ll let you know. đ
All right, here you go.
At First Touch copyright c. 2013 T.A. Chase & Devon Rhodes.
Excerpt:
It wasnât like he hadnât slept with Sergio before, but as much as he liked Sergio, he knew he wasnât the man Ewansiha could see spending the rest of his life with. His phone rang before he could make himself depressed about being alone at his age.
After digging it out of his pocket, he checked the screen, then answered it. âHello baby. Whatâs going on with you?â
âHello King. Iâm going to be in town tonight, and wondered if you wanted to get together for dinner.â Silviaâs voice was smooth like the most expensive whisky.
He grinned at the thought of being able to see his favourite girl. Silvia had been one of his first girlfriends, and she was the one who helped him come to the realisation that he liked men as much as he did women. In fact, she was part of his first gay experience. Sheâd convinced him to have a threesome with her and one of her gay friends.
Silvia trusted the man, so Ewansiha went along with it, and ended up dating the guy for a month or so after Silvia broke up with him. She was his best friend, and the one person besides his mother who would call him on his bullshit if she thought he needed it.
âIâd love to get together with you, Sil. What are you doing in town, though? I thought you had a month long photo shoot in the Caribbean.â Ewansiha chuckled. âI canât believe you got homesick for Germany after being in the Islands.â
Her laughter warmed him. âI had to come home for a few days to do some interviews. I fly back out in a couple of days to rejoin the shoot.â
âA womanâs work is never done, honey.â He leaned back against the partition of his locker. âWhere would you like to go tonight?â
âIâve already got us reservations at ? for eight. Iâll expect you to pick me up at seven-forty-five at {hotel}.â She was always in charge of their dates when they were together. Ewansiha had just gone along with her.
âWhereâs Wendy? Iâd thought sheâd meet you when you were in town.â
The room began to fill as the rest of the team arrived for practice. He turned his back on them, not wanting them to overhear his conversation.
Silvia sighed. âSheâs on a different shoot in Russia, and couldnât get the time off. But sheâs coming down to Bermuda in a couple of weeks, so we can hang out.â
âSorry to hear that, honey. I know you probably miss her like crazy.â
Silvia had met Wendy a couple of years after she broke up with Ewansiha, and theyâd fallen in love. It was her own bisexuality that had helped Silvia detect Ewansihaâs tendencies. Heâd meet Wendy, and discovered why Silvia had given her heart to the woman.
âNext time the two of you are in the city together, call me. Iâd love to be seen with two beautiful women.â He smiled as her laughter echoed over the phone.
âWeâll do that, but you do know neither one of us will be sleeping with you, right?â
âIâm not looking for what youâve got, Silvia. Not at the moment anyway.â
The coach entered, and Ewansiha knew he had to end the call, then get changed into his uniform.
âIâve got to go, Sil. Iâll be there to pick you up tonight. Love you.â
âLove you too, Ewansiha. Weâll talk more tonight.â She hung up, and the tone of her voice made him wonder if maybe he shouldnât go out with her. It sounded like she had something on her mind, and Silvia could be difficult when she wanted something.
He shut his phone off, then set it in his locker. His mind kept running through things Silvia could possibly want to talk to him about, but he couldnât think of anything. Ewansiha changed while his thoughts were elsewhere.
It wasnât until he was tying his cleats that he realised someone sat next to him. Glancing over, he was surprised to see Lukas next to him. Their lockers were across the room from each other. Why would he be sitting there?
âCan I help you with something?â Lukas met his gaze, and Ewansiha saw exhaustion in his eyes. What had the man been doing the night before? âYou look whipped, man. How late did you stay out?â Ewansiha shot a glance over to where the coach stood, chatting with Padraig. âYouâre an adult, and you know what you should be doing, but you need to be careful about going out and partying all night.â
Lukas blinked at him, like he was surprised Ewansiha would say anything. After making sure there wasnât anyone near them, Ewansiha reached out to rest his hand on Lukasâs knee. The flex of muscle under his hand distracted Ewansiha for a moment. He tightened his grip, then stroked his fingers over his hairy thigh.
âUmm…â Lukas cleared his throat, and Ewansiha jerked his hand away.
What the hell are you thinking? He wanted to slap himself in the forehead. Heâd always thought Lukas was gorgeous, and he would love to get the man in bed, but never made a move on him because heâd never thought the man was gay.
âSorry. Got thinking about something else,â he muttered.
Lukas shook his head. âNo problem, King. Just so you know I wasnât out partying last night. Iâm not Paolo or Padraig. I might go out to the clubs during training and the season, but I wouldnât do it if there was a chance it would ruin my chance of playing. I was helping a friend last night, and ended staying up later than I planned.â
âOh, thatâs good, because no matter how talented those two are, their late nights and too much drinking is doing them more damage than good.â Ewansiha gestured to where Paolo leaned against the wall, head in hand, very obviously nursing a hangover. âIf you want my position on the team, you have to work to earn it.â
âI know, and trust me, I plan on taking your spot before too long, but I do know youâre got some good years left in you.â Lukas winked. âThe reason I came over here is to see if youâd like to do some drills with me during the special skills practices.â
Ewansiha nodded. âSure. I can show you some of the little things I do to get more power on my kicks.â
âGreat.â Lukas stood, and Ewansiha quickly shifted his gaze from Lukasâs groin, not wanting to look like he was staring. âThanks, King.â
Grunting, he finished tying his cleats, then grabbed a towel from the pile by the door as he walked by. It was time to get to work.
