For #firstchapterFriday read from hot #newrelease #MMromance Dragon Bridge #gayromance Key heaved a breath. Someone had taken his space in the communal car park of the small apartment block again.

 

First Chapter Friday

Dragon Bridge

Chapter One

Key Alder raised his glass to his lips joining in the toast. This was the last day at the office for a colleague. A long serving agent and source of excellent ideas, the woman would be missed. The farewell gathering after work served for her to receive her leaving gift and good wishes from everyone. The pale golden bubbles in Key’s glass swished against the seam of his lips. His car waited in the underground car park that day so Key didn’t taste the expensive champagne. He sighed inwardly. Key’s fatigue weighed on him. It often brought inexplicable sadness with it. Tired from the daily battle to keep the public safe from internet crime, Key watched Maria shake hands with the special agent in charge of their department, and then, along with all his colleagues, he applauded.

An hour later as he drove home, Key’s eyes misted. He shook away the gathering tears, alarmed at his tumbling emotions. Stopped at a traffic light he opened his window. The blast of cold late February night air stung his face. He drove on home.

Key heaved a breath. Someone had taken his space in the communal car park of the small apartment block again. He stopped behind the vehicle, blocking its exit and narrowing the route in and out of the lot so that not many cars would be able to pass the rear of his. Fucking hell. Key rubbed his forehead. The urge to ram the offending automobile into the wall surrounding the parking area bit at him. He closed his eyes. Moments passed. Then with a deep sigh, Key reversed his old Mustang and drove around the back of the enclosure. He parked under an arch of trees, their bare, black, claw-like branches clasped together. Key got out and locked the door. Patches of the damp blue roof glistened in a filtered shower of light from one of the streetlights nearby. Drops of water from the branches above fell on his cheek like tears. Sadness flooded Key.

Warmth from the central heating greeted Key as he entered his lonely home. He tugged off the scarf around his neck, pulled off his overcoat and threw both onto the hall table. A small succulent in a prettily decorated pot took the force and wobbled toward the edge. Key grabbed it. He liked the Mexican designs on the pot and his last boyfriend had given him the plant. He righted the keepsake. Key caught sight of his reflection in the mirror over the table. The dark shadows under his eyes told the tale of his many sleepless nights. He drooped.

On his way to the fridge to find a beer, his smartphone beeped in his suit jacket pocket. Key checked the caller on the screen. Wesley. He took the call from his brother. Ten years older than Key and with a different father, Wesley was technically his stepbrother, but neither Key nor Wesley referred to each other as such.

“Hi, Wes, what’s up?” Key slumped on the couch instead of completing his journey to the kitchen.

“I’m good, but I can tell from your voice that you’re not. Have you given any thought to my suggestion?”

Key sighed. “I don’t know, Wes. Taking off overseas, well, it’s daunting. I’m tired.”

“Burnt out more like—please take a vacation. How much accrued leave do you have?”

“Months, I think. It’s still important to me, the job, you know keeping people safe from cybercrime, especially when they lose everything they have, and suffer the stress of it all. The trouble is, I think, is that I feel all their sadness now, and, Wes, I’m so tired of how people can be so cruel to others.”

Key heard his brother sigh. When he answered, his voice held kindness.

“Ten years of seeing the seamy side of life is bound to affect anyone.”

“Yeah, it’s definitely sensitized me to all the sadness in the world. I’ve stopped reading or watching news on the TV. The sight of people starving, kids being killed, poverty, war, hatred—it brings tears to my eyes.” Key stopped confiding in his brother as tears welled in his eyes right then. His voice wavered.

“Key, you’re only just thirty. You have time. Have you seen Mark at all recently? I bet you haven’t been out for weeks.”

The reference to his last boyfriend brought a smile to Key’s lips. “Wes, Mark and I have been broken up for nearly a year.”

“Sorry. Time trickles away. Did you tell me about the split? I don’t think I knew. What happened?”

Key heaved another sigh. “My job—his job. Actually, I don’t think I did tell you about Mark and me breaking up. I was on a horrendous case at the time. It was a mutual decision. We’re still friends. We’d probably catch up over a beer now and then if he wasn’t living so far away. I don’t have time to meet guys…”

“Key, why not take your leave? Look after yourself for a while. Find someone to love. I don’t know how I’d be without Jennifer and she’s said the same of me. Don’t go through life alone. You must be lonely.”

Key nodded to himself. Dreadfully, if I admit it. “Sometimes.” He couldn’t burden Wes with that, too.

Wesley’s voice fell to a whisper. “If you just carry on as usual, I fear you’ll break somehow.”

Key heard the love in his brother’s tone. He recognized the truth in what Wes said. He was on the edge. He softened his voice as affection surged for Wesley.

“Thank you for your concern, Wes. I think I’ll do it. I’ll apply for leave tomorrow.” He talked with his brother for a few more minutes asking about Wesley’s wife and daughter. As he ended the call, Key knew he’d made a radical decision about his job. He was going to quit.

Copyright E. D. Parr, Evernight Publishing, All rights reserved, July 28, 2022

Dragon Bridge

Tired from his high stress work fighting cyber-crime, handsome, Key Alder takes a vacation on a beautiful Italian coast. He travels from one gorgeous town to another and after a perilous journey lost in the mountains, he settles into his hotel and relaxes.

In a beachside café, next to a warm pale-blue ocean, a performer hands out fliers for an arts festival in a mountain village. Lured by adventure, Key attends an evening performance of fire juggling acrobats in the legendary village piazza.

 

Beautiful, enigmatic Claudio Di Fiore, the star of the show, sees Key in the audience and is captured by a wonderful feeling he’s unaccustomed to.

Claudio wants Key.

Key is enchanted by Claudio.

A passionate love grows between the two men.

When Claudio’s mysterious ancient family threaten to tear them apart, will Key risk everything to stay with his loved one?

BUY the BOOK 

https://www.evernightpublishing.com/dragon-bridge-by-e-d-parr/

 

https://www.bookstrand.com/book/dragon-bridge-mm

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B6ZGLJ8H

 

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0B6ZGLJ8H

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B6ZGLJ8H

 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragon-bridge-e-d-parr/1141823839

 

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1156569

 

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/dragon-bridge-1

 

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dragon-bridge-1

 

https://books.apple.com/us/author/e-d-parr/id1188331536

 

READ a hotter teaser as Dragon Bridge visits Lisabet Sarai

https://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/2022/08/one-more-kiss-mmromance.html

First Chapter Friday from, A Virtual Kiss #MMromance #gayromance #LGBTQ @evernightpub E. D. Parr @parr_books

 

First Chapter Friday

Chapter One

 

When Nate Hathaway saw a new Internet café, VR, and gaming venue open on the end of the street where he worked, butterflies started in his stomach. The renovations of the building lasted all spring and on the first day of summer, the venue, ‘Splat,’ held a grand opening. The company Nate worked for provided a small staff restaurant, and on the tables, the day before the venue was to open, brochures enticed people to use the gaming facilities and more. In small print beneath this word, Nate read the explanation and his breath caught.

‘Live your dreams in our private VR rooms.’

The memory of using VR before in an upmarket sex club located on the seamy side of the town where he’d vacationed two years before sent a thrill, tingling from his balls all the way up his body. Nate heaved a breath, and after looking around to check if anyone watched, he rolled the brochure into a tight cylindrical shape and slid it into the breast pocket of his jacket. It fit snugly alongside his company cell phone. Its presence made him smile. It lifted his spirits, flagging under being in a job he practically hated, and loneliness.

Nate hadn’t been on a date since he and Scottie Thompson, from the art department, split up five months before. Not that Nate loved Scottie. He’d enjoyed the guy’s company, and the sex was terrific. In fact, if he was honest with himself that was what he missed the most. The VR rooms might save him from that deprivation.

He picked up his coffee cup and sipped at the now cool beverage as he turned to gaze out of the window at the street. The restaurant gave a great view of the square two floors below. In the middle, a fountain sprayed sparkling water over a narrow circular pond, and around that, lush flowers grew in a vivid display of color and perfume. Sometimes a gardener tended the wide flowerbed, and Nate enjoyed watching as this young man dragged off his t-shirt in the sun and showed off his muscled body all the way down to mid-V of his hips. He was there that day.

A spike of sexual need ran through the bottom of Nate’s stomach. His cock stirred. The gardener straightened from pruning a woody plant, threw the cuttings into a woven sack a step away, then pushed the shears into the back pocket of his jeans. In what Nate thought had to be a purposeful move, the guy pulled off his t-shirt, lingering with his arms raised to show off his muscled torso. He took the tool from his pocket and stuffed his t-shirt into the vacant spot, before looking around, his hands on his delicious slim hips.

Nate’s cock jerked into a hard column as the gardener rearranged his jeans, so that the waistband lowered even farther down his flat stomach. Nate stared at him and the young man gazed at Nate in return. Does he know I’m here? He can’t. The windows are mirrored. Nah, I’m just horny and he’s fucking hot.

Nate shifted in his seat as the man bent to a shrub and offered a view of his hard ass in faded denim. It sent Nate into a spin. He attempted to push away his desires. He tried to will away his erection. He snatched up the bottle of spring water he’d intended taking back to his office from the table in front of him and drank. The cool liquid didn’t help...

Copyright E. D. Parr, Evernight Publishing

Hunky Nate Hathaway can’t resist the lure of private Virtual Reality rooms in a new Internet café that opens on the street where he works. He’s lonely and intrigued by the VR program offering a boyfriend experience. After only one date, Nate is hooked on Jason, the sexy, kind VR character.

Jason Graeme is the computer wizard behind the hot new VR programs. He’s a risk taker, smart and gorgeous. He’s also the body model for the boyfriend. A twist of fate brings Nate to his attention. Determined to meet dishy Nate, he reveals who he is.

Passion sizzles between the two men as they fall in love.

Trouble is Nate’s not the only guy in town who uses the boyfriend experience.

BUY the BOOK

https://www.evernightpublishing.com/a-virtual-kiss-by-e-d-parr/

https://www.bookstrand.com/a-virtual-kiss-mm

Global Amazon link http://mybook.to/AVirtualKiss

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/890817

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-virtual-kiss-e-d-parr/1129376055

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/a-virtual-kiss

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/e-d-parr

For #FirstChapterFriday I've chosen Like a Thief in the Night @evernightpub #LGBTQ #gayromance #MMromance @parr_books At thirty-two, immersed in his work, he doesn’t know he’s lonely until delicious, twenty-five year old Jon Palmer literally drops into his life during a thunderstorm.

Gorgeous, businessman, Saxon Dearing buys a pied de terre in the city where he works. Only using the place for three nights, he goes home to his beachside house for the rest of the week. At thirty-two, immersed in his work, he doesn’t know he’s lonely until delicious, twenty-five year old Jon Palmer literally drops into his life during a thunderstorm.

Artist Jon struggles to sell his paintings from a tiny studio, and works in a city gallery to pay his rent. As the two men fall in love, Jon can’t overcome the idea his lack of success is a barrier to telling handsome, wealthy Saxon how he feels.

 When his boss offers him a dangerous way of making money, Jon must make a choice.

Will he risk telling Saxon he loves him or let his lack of confidence lead him astray and away from the man who loves him, too?

#FirstChapterFriday

Chapter One

 

Saxon Dearing owned a pied-de-terre on the outskirts of the city. That summer, after much searching, he’d chosen it for the huge French windows along the studio balcony, and for the two skylights in the shape of triangular prisms, one of which surprised him with a view of stars on clear nights from his bed. Saxon had meant to buy an apartment closer to the central business district, but on seeing the light pouring into the rooms, its location had become secondary for Saxon. He reasoned that it was close enough to where he worked. He could still walk there, and Saxon intended only using the apartment three nights a week anyway. Impatient to secure the place, Saxon offered cash in settlement, and to his joy, the purchase sailed through rapidly. He was soon jingling the keys in his overcoat pocket as he rode the old-fashioned elevator in the building to his second home on the fourth floor of the converted warehouse. Saxon could have run up the carpeted stairs, but the ornate metal cage with its diamond shapes, and the carved oak half-doors of the elevator, gave him a surge of happiness as he used them.

****

The early autumn morning dawned gray. Thunder growled in the distance as Saxon drank his breakfast coffee and gazed out of the French windows. The view of the city resembled a black and white still, slowly being dappled with muted yellow and orange lights that flickered on as people arrived in the office blocks and lit their working environment.

Thursday meant Saxon wouldn’t stay in the studio apartment that night. He put the dishes he’d used the night before and his coffee mug into the dishwasher. After setting it going, he tidied the place before taking a shower and dressing. He emptied the laundry hamper that included the towel he’d used into his expensive washer-drier and threw in the detergent capsule. He never used any other cycle so he snapped the door closed and pressed the button that shone lime green telling him the machine was ready to go.

Saxon sang snatches of a favorite song as he pulled on his overcoat and picked up his grip bag and briefcase. Rain splattered noisily on the skylights and Saxon glanced up. Rivulets ran down the apex and disappeared. Saxon presumed guttering then carried the water away.

As he locked the door, a smile spread on his face. Saxon knew how lucky he was to leave the city behind for a whole three days each week. He worked from home on those days. Home in this instance, being the beach house up the coast given to him by his grandparents. Deciding against the elevator, Saxon ran down the stairs to the lobby of the building and froze as the severity of the downpour became clear. Rainwater pooled outside the door and practically a stream ran along the sidewalk. Hell, I better get a cab. He snatched his smartphone from his pocket and pressed the number he’d allocated to quick call for a taxi company.

****

There’d been no letup in the autumn storm all day. Twilight fell early and Saxon gazed from his office window at the lights from nearby office blocks undulating in the sheets of rain. Flood warnings popped up on his desktop from the two weather bureaus he subscribed to, bringing a frown to his face. He flicked his gaze back to the stock market figures with a sigh. Clearly, he’d be staying in the city at least that night, maybe longer. He worked until trading closed in New York, and then after calling a cab, he packed up to go home. Best go home and start work again. If I stay here, I might not get a cab later. London doesn’t close for a while anyway…

Copyright E. D. Parr, Evernight Publishing 

 Want More?

Read a sexy teaser

He longed to feel Saxon’s skin beneath his palms. He ached to press against Saxon’s hard body. #newrelease #gayromance #MMromance @parr_books @evernightpub Read a #teaser

BUY the book

https://www.evernightpublishing.com/like-a-thief-in-the-night-by-e-d-parr/

https://www.bookstrand.com/book/like-a-thief-in-the-night-mm

Amazon http://mybook.to/LikeAThiefInTheNight

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/952715

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/like-a-thief-in-the-night-2

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/like-a-thief-in-the-night-e-d-parr/1132856965

Find some magic with MM romance in #FirstChapterFriday from Hidden Magic #gayromance @parr_books @evernightpub

First Chapter Friday 

from Hidden Magic

Gorgeous Owain Lovage belongs to an ancient family of elven beings. A glamor hides his elf beauty as he runs a reindeer farm and visitor center in an English rural town. He’s yearning for a handsome, sexy man in his life. Owain hardly uses his magic these days, but that’s about to change.

Rowan Carter reluctantly leaves California to stay with his folks on vacation for the holiday season in the town where he fleetingly meets Owain.

Captivated by Owain’s looks and masculinity, Rowan seeks him out.

Melting hot kisses in the snow are only the start of what he has in mind to do with this red hot guy.

A deep erotic passion ignites between the two handsome men and sets in motion an ancient magic spell that will change both their lives forever.

Chapter One

“Hey, Rowan, you might meet that special someone.”

Rowan made a face at his friend. “Unlikely—and if I did, what good would it be? He’d live in a different country. Here’s the real question. How am I going to stave off the boredom? There’ll be no parties, no special nights at our favorite gay bar—”

Jason shook his head as he interrupted Rowan. “I despair of you. Why go if that’s going to be your attitude?”

Rowan shrugged, knowing his friend had a valid point, but all the same, the optimistic comments from his group of friends over the last couple of months had begun to irritate him. When he needed a hug, empathy, and someone to let him wallow in misery for a while after his relationship break up, their constant attempts at cheerfulness hadn’t helped him heal his broken heart. He wished they’d just let him be gloomy for a few weeks, and as for him meeting someone special, Rowan had lost hope. It had taken so long to meet the man who’d finally broken his heart. Sex was easy to obtain, but love—not so much.

Rowan pushed his sandwich away and leaned back from the café table he shared with Jason. “I’m going to see my parents, and that will be good. They’ve wanted to take this vacation for a long time, and now Dad says he loves the place and wants to stay for a couple of months. I have to visit. It would be mean not to, but as for meeting someone I’ll expect nothing and that way I won’t be disappointed.”

Jason gave a loud sigh. “Look at this as an adventure. You might even get a white Christmas. You’ve never been farther than Palm Springs.”

Rowan tried to smile. “I know, but I’ve never wanted to. I’m happy here I kinda dread the eleven-hour flight.”

“Cowboy up, Rowan.” Jason grinned, then obviously giving up on the conversation he added, “Are you going to eat that sandwich, ’cos if not, let’s go. I’m meeting Paul at two.”

An unwelcome spike of jealousy at Jason’s mention of his husband made Rowan bow his head. “I’m not really hungry. Let’s go.” They’d already paid, so he stood and walked to the exit.

Jason followed him into the bright sunshine of the unseasonably hot LA day.

****

Owain Lovage closed the farm office gate and stepped away to survey his handiwork. The entire building glowed with Christmas lights. Snowflakes drifted in the frosty air, glistening as they fell through the beams of white sparkling light. A smile wreathed Owain’s face. He gazed past the building to the rows of stables where strings of festive lights entwined all the trees that lined the paths. Owain sighed with pleasure when each cloud of snowflakes changed color as they danced past the green, red, and blue lights.

It was only four PM, but an indigo sky heralded complete darkness and Owain had sent his staff home early. Owain expected the gentle fall of snow to turn heavy during the night. Two red deer returned to the farm having visited a nearby Christmas tree outlet to show off their antlers and pretend they led Santa’s sleigh on Christmas night. He gave them fresh straw and feed as he talked to them, went around the rest of the stables to check everything was perfect, and then he and three of the other staff had clambered around the office roof anchoring the seasonal lights. He hadn’t needed the help. In fact, if he’d wanted to, he could have gathered his magic and produced the decorations, but involving his staff was more fun. Owain didn’t use his magic much or often. He thought it was better that way.

He walked along the wide gravel drive to the car park, empty now of staff vehicles. His SUV stood under one of the silvery safety spotlights that perched on poles around the lot.

Owain lived at the end of the lane, but he’d needed to visit the village store at lunchtime or face having nothing for dinner that night, so he’d driven to work that morning. Sometimes Owain walked, and sometimes, when the snow was deep enough, he used his two huge and favorite red deer stags to pull a small sled. He loved those times, even though his colleagues thought it ostentatious. That was because they didn’t really know him, not the man who hid behind the frequently renewed glamor—the man whose pointed ears were pierced with rose-shaped diamonds, and whose dark hair held a streak of glowing silver. Owain belonged to the last family of elven people in the country. As far as he knew none of his family had seen or heard from any others in centuries.

He got into his car and glanced at his reflection in the mirror. He could see through the spell cast to disguise his true looks when he wanted to, but over the years Owain had become attached to his human appearance. It wasn’t so far from reality. He only dropped the glamor at family gatherings, just as the rest of his kin did. Yule was one of those times, and Owain smiled as he started the car. Snow layered on snow making white the dark gravel of the car lot, and Owain’s eyes twinkled. Nothing pleased him more than a white Christmas, although the hard body of a man naked in his arms came a close second.

Copyright E. D. Parr , Evernight Publishing (36,100 words)

https://www.evernightpublishing.com/hidden-magic-by-e-d-parr/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0786SVL37

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0786SVL37

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0786SVL37

All other Amazon sites http://mybook.to/HiddenMagicEDParr

Siren Bookstrand http://www.bookstrand.com/hidden-magic-mm

KOBO https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/hidden-magic-14

NOOK https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hidden-magic-e-d-parr/1127692630?ean=2940154659168

5* for Hidden Magic "This is a beautiful, sweet, engaging, poignant, sexy, and captivating tale. The story had some unexpected twists and turns, plus the ending caught me by complete surprise. If you want to read something that is definitely NOT your average holiday story, then this gem more than fits the bill."

If you like elves, magic, and Yule traditions, if you want to watch two men fall for each other despite their very different outlooks on life, and if you’re looking for a cute read with lots of mystery, some drama, and a very passionate romance, then you will probably like this novella. 

http://www.rainbowbookreviews.com/book-reviews/hidden-magic-by-ed-parr-at-evernight-publishing