Tara Lain's "Volley Balls" Blog Tour

Tour Dates

January 11, 2017 
Buffy's Ramblings
V's Reads
MM Good Book Reviews

January 12, 2017 
Bookworm Brandee
Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews

January 13, 2017 
Alpha Book Club
Love Bytes

January 14, 2017 
Books, Dreams, Life

January 15, 2018 
Readaholics Anonymous

January 16, 2017 
books are love
The Silver Dagger Scriptorium

January 17, 2017 
Making it Happen
Bayou Book Junkie

Volley Balls

(Balls to the Wall Series, Bk #1)
By Tara Lain

Blurb:

A double dose of alpha male might be better than one. Tara Lain’s popular novella, Volley Balls, is now expanded and revised. 

Despite just getting out of an abusive relationship with an asshole alpha, David Underwood’s wandering glance lands on two hot members of the Australian volleyball team on Laguna Beach and gets him harassed again. Still, when the delicious Gareth Marshall proves his interest by coming out to his team, David succumbs to his attraction. But Gareth’s volleyball partner, Edge, who’s equally hot, makes the lovers’ lives miserable.

For Gareth, a lifetime of hiding his orientation—and his attraction—from his best friend, Edge, as well as everyone else around him, adds up to hurt and frustration. David’s the first man to ever compete with Edge for Gareth’s passion. But Edge has secrets of his own, and David’s ex-lover will never be happy without David under his fist. With everything stacked against him, can a gay Laguna man find happiness with an alpha male–or two?

Available at

      

Excerpts

Leaning against the wall by the door, blocking his exit, was “the friend.” The delicious, terrifying, dark-haired beach guy, sporting an inscrutable expression—part grin and part grimace.

Holy shit. This could not be another accidental meeting.

Scared and pissed—an adrenaline-intensive combo. His heart beat like a bass drum and goose bumps covered his arms—and his dick. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he shouted. Best defense and all that.

The dark-haired guy shrugged and kind of ducked. “I hate to admit it, but I followed you.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No. I went to your store to see you and saw you walking over here, so—” He shrugged again. “—I followed you.”

David’s stomach turned. “Shit! Jesus, get away from me.” But he couldn’t force his leaden legs to pass the man. In fact, he fell back a couple of feet.

The guy pushed off from the wall and stepped toward him. “Is that guy your boyfriend?”

“None of your business.” David put up his hands. “You can’t get away with beating up gay men in Laguna. This isn’t some Neanderthal country. You’ll get arrested,”

The guy paused and frowned. “Who said anything about beating you up?”

“How about your fucking friend?”

The guy took another step toward David. “He’s not me. Understand?” It sounded like understend. “I mean you no harm, mate. Honest.”

David pressed back against the wall. Trapped. Maybe he could slip to the side. “Then what do you want? Why are you following me?”

The guy stopped. “I don’t usually act this way. All stalkery.”

“Thanks a fuck for reserving it for me.”

“It’s just I saw you three times and—I guess three’s a charm like they say. I want to take you out—like to dinner.”

David gasped. “What?” He turned only his eyes toward the Aussie. The guy was gazing at David’s face like some painting in his gallery.

“I saw you last night. At that art thingy. I thought you were perfect. Those cheekbones, that ass. Sorry. I’d like to take you out.”

“Out? As in on a date out?”

“Yeh, that’s the idea.”

Of all the fucking nerve…. David shoved off the wall, hands firmly planted on his hips. “Are you trying to tell me that you’re gay? Running around harassing innocent people with that band of delinquents, and you’re a closet case? Give me a break! Haven’t you heard? It’s chic to be gay. We can get married and everything. Get into this decade.”

“Sorry. It’s just I’m a volleyballer. And Australian, at least currently. We don’t come out. But I’d really like to take you out.”

“As your pal? Right.” David flipped his hair. “No, asshole. Get away from me. I do not do this. I don’t go with men who aren’t proud of who and what they are. Not anymore. Never again. Go back to your closet and play with your volleyballs.”

David buried his head in Gareth’s broad chest and, much to his disgust, started to cry. The feelings didn’t even make sense. Anger, jealousy, lust, and—yes, fear. At the heart of it all. He started to shake. Gareth pulled him tighter, but it wouldn’t stop. Phil’s angry face stared at him. Screamed at him. His fist descended—again and again. Pain and anger and shame. “Oh God!”

“What, love?” Gareth kissed his hair.

“I was so afraid.”

“Nothing to fear, love.”

“Phil. Oh God. He said he wanted to kill me. I think he would have if Edge hadn’t come.” He burrowed into Gareth’s arms.

“We’re here now, love. Nothing more to fear. You took care of that bastard. He won’t bother you again.”

Edge’s deep voice came from behind him. “If he comes near you, I’ll kill the asshole.”

David sucked in breath and turned in Gareth’s arms. He saw Gareth shake his head, warning Edge. “David took care of him, Edge. He got the police and had him thrown in jail.”

David wiped at his eyes. “Thank you, Gareth. I know I said I could take care of myself, but I lied. I’ve been alone so long. I only got involved with Phil because I was lonely and wanted someone to care about me. Instead, he hit me and abused me. I’m so grateful to Edge for saving me today. I’m so grateful to both of you for not being the kind of man that Phil is. So grateful.” The tears ran down his cheeks again and dripped off his chin.

Edge stepped closer and tipped up David’s chin with his finger. He did something David hardly ever saw him do. He smiled. “I know I’m a big Neanderthal with no fucking manners, but sometimes that’s a handy kind of guy to have around.” Funny how David hadn’t noticed those dimples in Edge’s cheeks before. Like you could sharpen pencils in them.

David stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Edge in a huge hug. “Thank you. I’m so glad you were there. I’m so grateful.”

Edge chuckled, and the vibration zipped straight to David’s cock. Down, boy.

Another pair of strong arms wrapped around him from behind and made it a group hug.

David giggled. “I’m the filling in an Aussie sandwich. If I’d known, it would have been my lifetime aspiration.”

About the Author

Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 32. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Paranormal Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft.  She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog near the sea in California where she sets a lot of her books.  Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!

You can find Tara at Lain

               

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