Welcome Talia Carmichael!

Happy Holidays! Here is a scene from my book about a interesting gift exchange.

Magnetism

By Talia Carmichael

Dreamspinner Press

Available Now

Series: Something in Common  – Book 6

ISBN: 978-1-62380-445-9

Genre: Contemporary

 

Excerpt:

“Here.” Rhodes handed him an envelope that looked like a card.

“Where did that come from?” Taggart took it, then picked up the wrapped gift on the side table.

“Had it on the dresser by the chair.” Rhodes was focused on opening his gift.

Taggart watched as he meticulously pulled off the tape and opened the paper.

“If you do it that way we’ll be here all night.” He shook his head.

“My gift. I like to take my time. You took time to wrap it. I can appreciate it and not rip into it.” Rhodes glared at him.

“Very strange man.” Taggart sighed, reaching for the gift. “The fun is ripping it open.”

Rhodes blocked it with his body. “Mine.” He pointed at Taggart’s items. “You open your own.”

Taggart leaned on the headboard to open the card. He frowned at the picture of cats on the front and the caption May you have many Christmases of chasing us.

“Why would I want to chase a cat? I do enough of that with my dogs,” Taggart muttered. “Weird card—” He stopped speaking as he opened it and saw the gift certificate, moments later he laughed. “Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm, looks like you have another gift. Hell, we all do. Training lessons, my pups.” He rubbed their heads as they lay on the floor by the bed. Taggart straightened reaching for Rhodes, kissed him, and said, “Thanks.” He grabbed the gift from him.

“Hey.” Rhodes reached around him.

Taggart rolled over, out of his reach. He felt the bed shifting behind him and quickly ripped the paper before tossing it back at Rhodes and scrambling back toward the pillows.

“There, it’s open.” Taggart laughed.

Rhodes held the partially open gift and glared at him. “Before next Christmas, we’re going to plan to make sure we open gifts with you across the room from me.” Rhodes sat cross-legged on the bed. “Scratch that. From now on, whenever I get a gift, you’re always to stay across the room when I open it. Took all my fun away.”

Taggart didn’t know what to make of Rhodes already planning for them to be together for next Christmas.

“After ripping my gift. You hear the ‘my’ in there.” Rhodes poked him in the leg with his finger. “You’re just sitting there with your gift still all nicely wrapped.” Rhodes held out his hand. “Since I didn’t get to open mine how I wanted, I can open yours.”

“Sure.” Taggart held up the gift and deliberately ripped the paper. “Whoops, how did that happen?”

“And I’m the one he calls a smart-ass. Y—” Rhodes stopped speaking, looked at his present, and laughed.

“What’s  so fu—” Taggart stopped as he finished opening his gift.

He looked at what Rhodes held and what was in his own hand, laughing too. Rhodes shifted and flopped back on the bed beside him.

“Great minds think alike. Thanks for my handheld crossword game.” Rhodes lifted the gadget up.

“I’m going sharpen my already massive skills in Scrabble with my own game.” Taggart ripped open the package.

“It must be a season for games. Hey, I forgot to mention I have a buddy who lives in Encounters in Texas. His name is Nate Bailey.”

Taggart looked up sharply at the name. “Grayson knows him. More recently, just before Thanksgiving, he called me and said Anna had found her some Warrior Angels. That the Nate he’d thought he knew wasn’t who he thought he was.”

“I know Grayson knows him. Nate called me, probably about the same time Grayson called you. He mentioned the same thing about Grayson being an unexpected surprise. That’s a compliment from Nate. Not many can get past him detecting that they’re ex-military or ops. He was impressed. They’re supposed to get a match together. That’s going to be interesting.”

“Uh-huh. Nate better be on his guard. People tend to underestimate my brother. That isn’t a good thing.” Taggart thought of Rhodes knowing Nate. “So did you know Nate through your previous work?”

“If I was to ask you the same thing about some of the people you know, what would be your answer?” Rhodes smiled affably.

“Since you read my file, you wouldn’t have to ask. You’d know.” Taggart gripped the box the game was in.

“Fair enough. But I can’t answer you. Nate is a buddy. He’s interested in meeting you. Seems he’s heard a lot about you. He wanted to meet the man who drives Vic crazy with the gifts for his mom. But even more so now after he and Grayson talked.”

“Maybe next time I go to Encounters I’ll get to meet him.” Taggart decided to let it go that Rhodes had seen his file. He still didn’t like it, but he’d let it go. Taggart finished opening his game, pulling out the batteries from the package and put them in. A few moments later he pressed the button and the sounds for the game came on. The sounds of Rhodes’s game started up too. Looking at his letters, he formed his first Scrabble word. “Look.” He showed the screen to Rhodes.

“Lick.” He grinned looking at his screen. “What’s a four letter word for someone who solves crime?”

Taggart thought about it lowering his lids over his eyes. “Dick. I think the games have the right idea.” He took Rhodes’s game from him and placed it along with his on the nightstand before turning back to Rhodes.

“I’m taking the scenic route.” Rhodes pushed him back and moved down his body, licking.

 

 

Copyright © Talia Carmichael, 2012.

All Rights Reserved.

 

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To read more about Taggart and Rhodes got together check out Magnetism…

Buy Here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_403

 

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Contest:  From the comments below, 1 winner will be selected at random from all the comments and the prize for winner will be an All Romance Ebook – $ 10 ebooks bucks! (must have an account at All Romance Ebook so I can send the prize to you)

The contest will go until 11:59 pm Eastern time on December 29, 2014, so you have time to enter. Please enter an email address when you post your comment below. Once I announce the winner your email is how I confirm I am sending the prize to the person who commented below for the contest.

I will post winner and instructions to claim the prize on December 30, 2014 on my blog here http://taliacarmichael.com/blog.

Good Luck!

 

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Bio: Talia Carmichael is a romantic who believes that family, no matter if it is by blood or those you choose as family, is integral to who you are. She is an author who writes sexy stories in a variety of genres. She believes in creating stories that encompass all that falling in love or lust entails, from the highs of that first blush of attraction to the lows of not knowing if you can make your coming together as a couple work, and then finally to the acceptance of the reality of making a life together. It’s all about the journey.

Among her books you’ll find contemporary, futuristic, fantasy, and paranormal settings with M/M themes that will have a happily-ever-after. Her books are passionate, intense, and real… to fill the craving. Check out more about Talia at http://taliacarmichael.com  or  http://taliacarmichael.com/blog. Contact her at http://taliacarmichael.com/blog/contact or check her out on facebook –https://www.facebook.com/pages/Talia-Carmichael/247134751977720. Twitter:  @taliacarmichael