Well, butter my ass and call me a biscuit.

There was a glitch in the EPPIE judging for the GBLT category. They announced the new list today:

Category K – GLBT

The Lost Temple of Karttikeya
Laura Baumbach
Loose Id

Phaze Fantasies III
James Buchanan,
Jade Falconer, Eliza Gayle,
Jamie Hill, Selah March,
Yeva Wiest
Mundania Press/Imprint - Phaze Books

Chiaroscuro
Jenna Jones
Torquere Press Publishers

Finding Jason
Lyndi Lamont
Amber Quill Press

Ghosts
Olivia Lorenz
Torquere Press Publishers/Imprint TOP SHELF

For Better or Worse
Jodi Payne
Torquere Press Publishers

Hearts & Bones
M. L. Rhodes
Amber Quill Press

Persistence of Memory
J. M. Snyder
Amber Quill Press

***

Six Phaze favorites deliver stories of homoerotic passion and romance.

Mask by James Buchanan: Don Hector Luz Aritza and his mayordomo y compañero Martín have been lovers since they were boys. Now that the Don is to wed a Frenchwoman, Martín must use magic and love to fight of the woman who wants to tear the lovers apart. Set in Colonial Mexico, Mask weaves the mysticism, suppression and magic of legends of the old southwest into a tale of two men who must fight to be together.

Devotion by Jade Falconer: Marcus was Prince Wilhelm's personal slave. The prince desires his lovely slave, and they share a bed every night. Their love transcends all convention; but when a new slave, Frederic, threatens their idyllic existence, will their love prevail? Or will misunderstanding forever tear them apart?

Dragon's Fate by Eliza Gayle: Called to service after a Bone Oracle reading, Kian strives to become the best D/s trainer that he can. But after meeting the bad-tempered and wildly sexy Fae Prince who would prepare him, Kian can’t deny the overwhelming attraction he feels for Garon. Can he let go of his life long belief of Dominance in favor of a different role?

Forced to train a Dominant Dragon, something he swore he would never do, Garon took him home. Irritated with his Father’s demands, Garon sought to quickly train the Dragon and send him on his way. But he didn’t count on Kian responding to every demand he made or the repercussions of bringing him to his knees.

Heads or Tails by Jamie Hill: Jeff Roberts' life is all planned out for him. He's engaged to the boss's daughter, and eventually he'll run the construction/real estate company he works for. It's going to be the perfect life.

When Kurt Lacey joins the construction crew, Jeff is suddenly fighting urges he'd forced himself to repress. There were male lovers in his past, but deciding that wasn't what he wanted, Jeff proceeded to 'go straight'. Kurt has other ideas, and one night together has Jeff rethinking his life. Does he want to be secure, responsible and boring? Wild, exciting and nontraditional seems like lots more fun. It all comes down to the flip of a coin—and whether Jeff chooses Heads or Tails.

Hardcore by Selah March: Disgraced police officer and psychic empath Jesse Bonham is a man with a mission -- eliminate the thug that ruined his life. Student and part-time bartender Sean Carr wants no part of Jesse's vendetta, no matter how hot he finds the ex-cop. When Jesse kidnaps Sean to use as bait, they discover the meaning of "out of the frying pan and into the fire."

Behind the Beard by Yeva Wiest: Madly in lust, handsome young counselor Byron Jones hides his secret self. The object of his attraction: Lord Richard Kincade, the Queen’s most sought after barrister. With the help of two conniving old codgers, a mischievous miss, and some six-legged buggers, Byron “wigs out” to capture the heart of Lord Kincade.

This story proves the bell of the ball just might be a beau, but everything depends on who is really hiding behind the beard.

Length: Quasar (114K words)
Rating: 4 Novas

Excerpt from "Hardcore" by Selah March:

"You need to use the john?" Bonham asked him, his voice gruff but subdued. "Maybe take a shower?"

Sean shook his head. "I'm good." He slid out of his damp jacket and shivered as the cool air struck his bare arms and neck.

Bonham began rummaging around in the oversized duffel he'd carried in from the truck. A few seconds later, he came up with a fresh set of clothes. "I'll be twenty minutes or so. Then we'll see what Manuel left us to eat, and maybe start a fire."

Before he could think, Sean heard himself saying, "You're not gonna tie me up?"

Bonham shot a glance over his left shoulder. "I thought we'd save the kinky shit for when we know each other better."

"Funny. You're a real comedian for a convicted killer."

Bonham was next to him in under a second, his fingers digging into Sean's bicep. He stared up into Sean's face, his lip curled into a snarl, and said, "Watch your mouth, kid. You know nothing about me, so don't pretend you do. You won't like the results."

Sean knew he should let it drop. He knew it like he knew he wanted to feel Bonham's hands on more than his arm or his wrist. Which is probably why he said, "You mean like the Incredible Hulk? I won't like you when you're angry?"

The pupils of Bonham's eyes dilated, just like they'd done back at the bar, the first time he'd touched Sean. The corner of his mouth twitched. "Something like that, yeah." He let go of Sean's arm and stepped back. "It's an eight-mile hike to the highway. With the rain like it is, you'd drown before you made it, and that's without me chasing you down and knocking your dick in the dirt."

"And you're so sure I can't hotwire that piece of shit you parked out front?"

Bonham stepped back again, far enough to make a show of looking Sean up and down. He snorted. "Yeah, I'm sure." Then he went into the bathroom and shut the door.

Sean listened to the creak and thud of the pipes as the shower came on, and considered his options. He could make a run for it, but Bonham was right -- an eight-mile hike in the dark and mud and pouring rain didn't exactly appeal to him, especially since he'd likely get lost. And he couldn't, in fact, hotwire a truck or any other kind of vehicle. So that left two choices: seduce Bonham and disarm him that way, or try to get the jump on him using good old-fashioned violence.

Everything being equal, the first option was a lot more attractive. But for all his jabber during the drive to the cabin, Sean didn't have the first clue how to handle a guy like Bonham, who was plainly a hell of a lot more complex than Paco Sanchez. He suspected Bonham wouldn't be taken in by a submissive pose and a blowjob, and Sean wasn't sure he was willing to go any further with a stranger.

Even a beautiful stranger? Even if it might save him from eventually being murdered by said beautiful stranger? Yeah, okay. That was reality here -- Bonham was a killer, and he'd do well to remember it.

He heard the shower turn off and looked around the room with rising panic, searching for a weapon. There, by the fireplace. A poker. He grabbed it, positioned himself to the left of the bathroom door, and waited.

The door opened, letting out a rolling wave of steam that smelled like soap and freshly-scrubbed male. Sean watched Bonham step through the doorway and counted...one...two...thr--

He felt it all before he saw anything...mostly because he'd shut his eyes, which only proved he'd never make much of a ninja. Bonham's hand came out of nowhere, grasping his wrist and twisting until he released the poker. Bonham's body, in nothing but jeans, pressed full-length against his. The older man's wet hair dripped cold on his chest, the water seeping through his tee shirt. Sean took a deep breath, opened his eyes and looked down.

"See," Bonham said, smirking up at him yet again in a way that made Sean want to bite right through that pretty lower lip, "See, now...that was a mistake."

***

Happy weekend, everybody. :)

SelahMarch.com - Romance of Dubious Virtue