Time In a Bottle

Good afternoon everyone.  I've emailed the winners from the New Year's Day contest.  In the meanwhile, I've been busy wrapping up the second draft of my lastest story Time In a Bottle.  I just sent it off to beta readers yesterday.  I hope to have it polished and submitted by Valentine's Day so keep your fingers crossed.  In the meanwhile I thought I'd share the blurb, the opening bit and a NSFW picture with you.

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Andrei Cuza and Dean Marshall just celebrated the ten year anniversary of their commitment ceremony only to have their happiness shattered.  On his way home from closing a business deal, Dean stops on the side of the parkway to help a young mother with her flat tire when her ex catches up with her.  Blake Olsen murders her and Dean and takes off with his two kids.

Andrei has been haunted by ghosts all of his life and bears the guilt for his younger sister Ileana being stuck in limbo.  When Dean returns to him as a ghost the double-punch of losing him and now having to watch him founder if he doesn’t move on is almost more than Andrei can bear.  Ghosts are stuck at the moment they died, unable to adapt to the changes in their living loved ones.

Dean has made a promise though and until he helps Andrei track down the missing kids, he isn’t going anywhere.  There are dangers in limbo that Andrei doesn’t know about, hounds that devour souls who succumb to their anger and they’re hunting Dean.  And dangers to Andrei as well, who pays a price so he can have Dean’s touch one more time.  Time is slowly running out as Dean and Andrei try to figure out how to say goodbye while they track down a killer who’d be more than happy to kill again.

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Dean Marshall savored the rare morning when he got to linger in bed instead of having to be out the door before the sun rose.  Especially mornings like this, with the sun streaming through the window and with his partner Andrei Cuza curled against his back.  Andrei’s calf had slid between Dean’s legs sometime in the night, as usual, and his hand splayed against Dean’s stomach.  Dean smiled sleepily and let his eyes drift shut again as he burrowed back into the warmth of Andrei’s body.  Now this was the only way to wake up right.  He drank in the sun on his face, the scent of fresh brewed coffee in the air and the feel of Andrei stirring behind him.

Breath brushed the nape of Dean’s neck followed by a kiss to his shoulder.  The hand on his stomach shifted and long fingers stroked his skin.  “Morning, iubito,” Andrei said in a sleep husky voice that made desire stir Dean’s blood.  He loved the dark timbre of his partner’s tone, the quiet manner he had which made people listen without ever having to raise his voice.

“Hey, babe,” Dean murmured back, turning his head to graze his lips along Andrei’s stubbled jaw.  Cool cotton sheets caressed his skin as he shifted and he longed for Andrei’s hands to do the same.  “Tell me you don’t have anywhere that you have to be in the next hour.”

“I have a pile of paperwork waiting for me on my desk.” Andrei smiled, his dark eyes lightning up with teasing.  “She’s a cruel, demanding mistress.”

“Leaving me naked in bed for paperwork is a cardinal sin.”  Dean’s breath caught as Andrei’s hand slid lower between Dean’s thighs to cup his morning wood.  He reached behind him and burrowed his fingers into Andrei’s thick hair.  “Stay and play with me, Andrei.”

“You make it sound like I have any chance of resisting you.  We both know the truth about that,” Andrei replied, his lips trailing down Dean’s neck to linger at his pulse.  “Besides, I’m not the one with an oh-so-important meeting in DC today.”

Dean’s eyes flew open with a curse and he untangled himself from Andrei’s embrace as he leaned over to check the time on his cell phone.  Andrei started chuckling.  “You should’ve seen the look of horror that crossed your face.”

“Ass, you knew I didn’t oversleep.”  Dean whacked him with a pillow and leveled Andrei with an accusing glare.  His partner seemed unbothered as he grinned back at Dean, the sheet tangled around his waist and a gold crucifix gleamed against his bare chest.

“It is so much fun to fuck with you.  I rarely get the chance.  Think of it as retaliation for all those times you messed with me on the big days.”  Andrei took Dean’s hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing Dean’s knuckles before turning his hand around to kiss the inside of his wrist as well.  The look in Andrei’s smoky, dark brown eyes was warm and seductive as he continued to rain kisses along Dean’s arm.

Dean fought a smile and tried to hold onto his glare, but the teasing lift of Andrei’s lips beat him.  He grinned and sank back into Andrei’s arms determined to relax instead of triple checking and making sure he had everything for his proposal ready before heading out.  He already knew he had it together and obsessing would only get him all worked up for nothing.  Dean wanted to lose himself in the taste and feel of Andrei as they moved together.

“And you call me evil.  I didn’t think retaliation was your style.”

His partner’s black hair was a tumbled mess from sleep and the sun highlighted his swarthy skin that he got from his Romani blood.  He was more rugged than handsome, with his too strong nose that bore a kink from being broken more than once, and his chiseled jaw that had a cleft and which gave him a rough hewn appearance.  Andrei’s smile widened into a devilish grin as he tugged Dean over him.  “You do have your moments.”

Dean brushed his lips along his partner’s jaw again, savoring the familiar sensation of Andrei’s long, lean body beneath him.  After all of these years it didn’t get old.  The hot rush of teenage hormones had settled somewhat and Dean found the familiarity between them to be a comfort.  He knew every inch of Andrei, knew how to drive him crazy in slow degrees.  If anything, he wanted Andrei more now than when they’d first fallen for each other.

Their tongues tangled in a slow, lazy kiss and Dean sighed in pleasure as Andrei’s hands ran over him in a lingering sweep from his shoulders down to the backs of his thighs.  It was easy to dismiss his excitement over the possibilities later on that day in favor of making love to his partner.  Andrei’s arms came around him, holding him closer as he broke the kiss and bared his neck.

Dean chuckled and nuzzled Andrei’s throat, hearing his partner’s soft intake of breath.  “Now where was that spot?” He murmured.

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Now this man right here *fans self* He reminds me

of Dean.  His hair is a little darker than Dean's, but

that nice guy smile absolutely fits him so does that

beautifully toned  body.  I haven't had any luck

hunting down the perfect picture that reminds me

of Andrei, but when I do, I'll share that as well.

I hope you enjoy!