everything he could want: a strong, snarky hero, heavy mystery and paranormal elements, intricate world-building, a gay secondary character who played a pivotal role to the plot, and just enough love and sex to keep things interesting.
He would’ve preferred the romance to be between Jack and Thaine, but he liked Alicia, the heroine, and for the rest, there was always fanfiction. It wasn’t as if Thaine’s sexuality was ignored either. He had a boyfriend within the series, even if their nookie never got any page time. Shepherd had still brought Thaine and a host of queer characters to a mainstream audience, which was monumental. The books regularly hit the New York Times best sellers list. It gave Mark hope for the small LGBT presses and indie authors he knew.
It figured the man who intrigued him so much would be the author of the series he adored. The knowledge only intensified the attraction. Arousal pooled in his belly, and his cock stiffened. Once again, he thought of offering his ass to Shepherd. He hadn’t imagined the tension between them, or the times Shepherd’s stare lingered, or Shepherd’s blushes and tongue-tied responses whenever Mark spoke to him. Maybe tonight after he closed shop, they could—
Shepherd turned to glare at him. “Don’t you know it’s rude to read over people’s shoulders?”
Mark flushed, his thoughts of sex scattering. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I was walking by and—”
“Look, I didn’t come here for some fanboy to gush all over me. No, I won’t sign any books. No, I won’t answer questions. I just want to write in peace.”
Mark’s flush deepened, and his semi-erection deflated under the weight of Shepherd’s scorn. Oh hell, he had been gushing, hadn’t he? He couldn’t help himself. “Sorry. I’ll, uh… I’ll leave you to it, then.”
He scampered away, his cheeks flaming, metaphorical tail tucked tight between his legs. First official meeting with his favorite author and he’d practically creamed his pants. No doubt he’d come across like some awkward, infatuated teenager after that bout of verbal diarrhea.
Mark groaned remembering it. Shepherd hadn’t stepped foot in the store since, likely fearing further harassment from the “fanboy.” Ugh. How humiliating.
“I don’t know why I’m even considering asking him.” Welcome to Deluded County. Population: Mark. “He’s going to tell me to go fuck myself. I can feel it.”
A smirk hovered around Adam’s lips, but after a second, he stifled it and reached across the table to give Mark’s hand a commiserating pat. “Well, he already has a bad impression of you, right? This can’t hurt anything. Besides, from what you told me, the guy’s an ass. There wasn’t any call for him to be so rude to you.”
Mark inclined his head. “True.” He might’ve launched into super-fan mode that day, but Shepherd… talk about an overreaction. Mark regretted not giving the guy a piece of his mind. Childhood baggage rears its ugly head. He could only blame all those years of listening to his parents argue before his mom packed up her car and took off. Now he avoided conflict like the Wicked Witch of the West avoided sprinklers.
When people first met Mark and encountered the full power of his sunshine-and-rainbow-fart personality, as his ex-boyfriend had called it, they tended to assume he’d had some idealistic, Beaver Cleaver upbringing. But for most of his life, it had been just him and his dad, Bruno, struggling to make ends meet. His father had kept a positive outlook and passed it on to Mark. He’d supported Mark’s dream of opening up a bookstore even when so many around the nation had closed. Every day Mark wished he could do more for his dad. Instead, it was Bruno helping him, as he’d always done.
He couldn’t lose Bookmarked, for both their sakes. If he could get Shepherd to agree to a signing, his first signing ever , it might just be the key to saving the store. Mark had no doubt
He would’ve preferred the romance to be between Jack and Thaine, but he liked Alicia, the heroine, and for the rest, there was always fanfiction. It wasn’t as if Thaine’s sexuality was ignored either. He had a boyfriend within the series, even if their nookie never got any page time. Shepherd had still brought Thaine and a host of queer characters to a mainstream audience, which was monumental. The books regularly hit the New York Times best sellers list. It gave Mark hope for the small LGBT presses and indie authors he knew.
It figured the man who intrigued him so much would be the author of the series he adored. The knowledge only intensified the attraction. Arousal pooled in his belly, and his cock stiffened. Once again, he thought of offering his ass to Shepherd. He hadn’t imagined the tension between them, or the times Shepherd’s stare lingered, or Shepherd’s blushes and tongue-tied responses whenever Mark spoke to him. Maybe tonight after he closed shop, they could—
Shepherd turned to glare at him. “Don’t you know it’s rude to read over people’s shoulders?”
Mark flushed, his thoughts of sex scattering. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I was walking by and—”
“Look, I didn’t come here for some fanboy to gush all over me. No, I won’t sign any books. No, I won’t answer questions. I just want to write in peace.”
Mark’s flush deepened, and his semi-erection deflated under the weight of Shepherd’s scorn. Oh hell, he had been gushing, hadn’t he? He couldn’t help himself. “Sorry. I’ll, uh… I’ll leave you to it, then.”
He scampered away, his cheeks flaming, metaphorical tail tucked tight between his legs. First official meeting with his favorite author and he’d practically creamed his pants. No doubt he’d come across like some awkward, infatuated teenager after that bout of verbal diarrhea.
Mark groaned remembering it. Shepherd hadn’t stepped foot in the store since, likely fearing further harassment from the “fanboy.” Ugh. How humiliating.
“I don’t know why I’m even considering asking him.” Welcome to Deluded County. Population: Mark. “He’s going to tell me to go fuck myself. I can feel it.”
A smirk hovered around Adam’s lips, but after a second, he stifled it and reached across the table to give Mark’s hand a commiserating pat. “Well, he already has a bad impression of you, right? This can’t hurt anything. Besides, from what you told me, the guy’s an ass. There wasn’t any call for him to be so rude to you.”
Mark inclined his head. “True.” He might’ve launched into super-fan mode that day, but Shepherd… talk about an overreaction. Mark regretted not giving the guy a piece of his mind. Childhood baggage rears its ugly head. He could only blame all those years of listening to his parents argue before his mom packed up her car and took off. Now he avoided conflict like the Wicked Witch of the West avoided sprinklers.
When people first met Mark and encountered the full power of his sunshine-and-rainbow-fart personality, as his ex-boyfriend had called it, they tended to assume he’d had some idealistic, Beaver Cleaver upbringing. But for most of his life, it had been just him and his dad, Bruno, struggling to make ends meet. His father had kept a positive outlook and passed it on to Mark. He’d supported Mark’s dream of opening up a bookstore even when so many around the nation had closed. Every day Mark wished he could do more for his dad. Instead, it was Bruno helping him, as he’d always done.
He couldn’t lose Bookmarked, for both their sakes. If he could get Shepherd to agree to a signing, his first signing ever , it might just be the key to saving the store. Mark had no doubt
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