I’m excited to share the NEW cover to BEACH BALLS, book #3 in the Balls To The Wall! Let me know what you think in the comments below! This is my enemies-to-lovers romance, with lots of passion underwater — and on land! Hope you’ll love it.
Beach Balls
(Balls to the Wall Series, #3)
By Tara Lain
Blurb:
Adam James is so far in the closet he could find Narnia. As an attorney for the homophobic WMA Development, he can’t come out without risking the million-dollar paycheck waiting for him once they push their big land development deal through the city council—money that will finally allow Adam to live according to his own terms. Then, on an early morning scuba dive, Adam meets a tall, lean rebreather diver named Sky who makes him want to hug a tree.Sky Sea Mickeljohn stands for the environment, world peace, and being openly gay. He won’t compromise his principles for anyone—even the damned lying developer lawyer he can’t help lusting after. True, the WMA land development deal could put thousands of people at risk, but Sky still wants to risk his heart. In the fight between freedom and integrity, is there a place for love?
Release Date:
May 8, 2017
May 8, 2017
Available for Pre-Order at
Excerpts
He
shrugged and glanced over at the kayak full of Carly’s scuba gear. Might as well get to it….
shrugged and glanced over at the kayak full of Carly’s scuba gear. Might as well get to it….
There
he was—rising from the sea like some merman. Not a bubble. Not a ripple. The
diver just appeared, manifested by Neptune. It had to be the octopus guy,
right? A tall, slim figure strode through the shallow water, navigating the
surf like it wasn’t there. Like it couldn’t drag him down and out to sea.
he was—rising from the sea like some merman. Not a bubble. Not a ripple. The
diver just appeared, manifested by Neptune. It had to be the octopus guy,
right? A tall, slim figure strode through the shallow water, navigating the
surf like it wasn’t there. Like it couldn’t drag him down and out to sea.
Octopus-man
stopped at the waterline and pulled off the tanks, unfastened the hood of his
wetsuit and shoved it back, then shook his head like a dog and fluffed out light
brown curls that surrounded his head like a halo.
stopped at the waterline and pulled off the tanks, unfastened the hood of his
wetsuit and shoved it back, then shook his head like a dog and fluffed out light
brown curls that surrounded his head like a halo.
Perfect,
because from this distance the guy’s face looked totally like an angel. Wide
eyes, full lips, and high cheekbones that gave him a slightly hollow-cheeked
look. The diver walked a few more steps and dropped the rig, then dragged down
the wetsuit, revealing a long, lean body, thin but well-muscled, like a
long-distance runner He must spend a lot of time in the sun if he was a diver,
but his skin was only a pale tan. Man, under his bathing suit he would be
alabaster.
because from this distance the guy’s face looked totally like an angel. Wide
eyes, full lips, and high cheekbones that gave him a slightly hollow-cheeked
look. The diver walked a few more steps and dropped the rig, then dragged down
the wetsuit, revealing a long, lean body, thin but well-muscled, like a
long-distance runner He must spend a lot of time in the sun if he was a diver,
but his skin was only a pale tan. Man, under his bathing suit he would be
alabaster.
What
else was under that bathing suit?
else was under that bathing suit?
Adam
forgot to be pissed. The guy started to gather up his stuff, and Adam jumped
up. “Excuse me.”
forgot to be pissed. The guy started to gather up his stuff, and Adam jumped
up. “Excuse me.”
The
angel face turned toward him. Neutral. Maybe he didn’t recognize him from the
underwater encounter.
angel face turned toward him. Neutral. Maybe he didn’t recognize him from the
underwater encounter.
Adam
took a couple of steps toward him. “Hey, I’m the guy you chased off the octopus
down there. I know you got there first and all, but hell, all I wanted to do
was see the thing. You didn’t have to make a huge deal out of it.”
took a couple of steps toward him. “Hey, I’m the guy you chased off the octopus
down there. I know you got there first and all, but hell, all I wanted to do
was see the thing. You didn’t have to make a huge deal out of it.”
A
crease appeared between the arched eyebrows. “Your bubbles. They were bothering
her. I’d been coaxing her out for over an hour, and then you came barging in
like some hippopotamus.” The guy picked up his tanks and started walking.
crease appeared between the arched eyebrows. “Your bubbles. They were bothering
her. I’d been coaxing her out for over an hour, and then you came barging in
like some hippopotamus.” The guy picked up his tanks and started walking.
“Wait!”
Angel
face stopped and looked back.
face stopped and looked back.
Okay, why did I stop him? “I’m, uh, sorry. I didn’t realize.
I just saw the thing and really wanted a better look.”
I just saw the thing and really wanted a better look.”
“There’s
a nice aquarium in Long Beach.”
a nice aquarium in Long Beach.”
When
they reached the sand, Sky stuck out his hand. Adam looked at it. The sun was
nearly down, but if they were holding hands and ran into someone he knew, he
couldn’t say he was just with a friend.
they reached the sand, Sky stuck out his hand. Adam looked at it. The sun was
nearly down, but if they were holding hands and ran into someone he knew, he
couldn’t say he was just with a friend.
He
sucked in a deep breath and took Sky’s hand anyway.
sucked in a deep breath and took Sky’s hand anyway.
Sky
glanced at him. “That seemed harder than it should have been.”
glanced at him. “That seemed harder than it should have been.”
“It’s
complicated.”
complicated.”
His
hand stiffened. “Are you partnered?”
hand stiffened. “Are you partnered?”
“Hell,
no. I play the field, and I’m not a cheater.”
no. I play the field, and I’m not a cheater.”
He relaxed.
They walked a few more steps.
They walked a few more steps.
“Just a
coward,” he added. “I’m pretty far in the closet.”
coward,” he added. “I’m pretty far in the closet.”
“Sorry.”
“Yeah.”
God, he
actually wanted to tell this guy why. Adam wanted to pour out his whole story.
The work, the clients. Even the family. But that was a crappy idea.
actually wanted to tell this guy why. Adam wanted to pour out his whole story.
The work, the clients. Even the family. But that was a crappy idea.
The
narrow sand beach walled by high rocks opened to a small cove. Two runners
jogged past near the water, but the area at the back of the cove was vacant
with just the evidence of earlier sunbathers—flattened areas—on the sand. Sky
led Adam there, then released his hand and sat.
narrow sand beach walled by high rocks opened to a small cove. Two runners
jogged past near the water, but the area at the back of the cove was vacant
with just the evidence of earlier sunbathers—flattened areas—on the sand. Sky
led Adam there, then released his hand and sat.
Adam
gave a quick thought to his very expensive slacks, then sat beside Sky, who
nodded back toward Carly’s. “That’s why you’re at the party. Only chance you
have to be gay?”
gave a quick thought to his very expensive slacks, then sat beside Sky, who
nodded back toward Carly’s. “That’s why you’re at the party. Only chance you
have to be gay?”
Adam
nodded. He was chickenshit, and this guy saw it all. “Carly’s a good friend. He
understands. Most of the guys are in similar positions. Not all. Some of them
just like Carly’s mai tais. He’s kind of the lonely-hearts club for closeted
business executives. He does it because he loves to party, and it gives him a
lot of clout when the chips are down.”
nodded. He was chickenshit, and this guy saw it all. “Carly’s a good friend. He
understands. Most of the guys are in similar positions. Not all. Some of them
just like Carly’s mai tais. He’s kind of the lonely-hearts club for closeted
business executives. He does it because he loves to party, and it gives him a
lot of clout when the chips are down.”
“He
knows where the bodies are buried?”
knows where the bodies are buried?”
“Literally,
but he never seems to take advantage of his knowledge.”
but he never seems to take advantage of his knowledge.”
“So you
get to be gay once a month.”
get to be gay once a month.”
“Something
like that. I guess you’re out and proud?”
like that. I guess you’re out and proud?”
The
curls bounced. “It doesn’t come up much. I’m just gay.” Silence. “I appreciate
you spending some of your precious gay time with me.”
curls bounced. “It doesn’t come up much. I’m just gay.” Silence. “I appreciate
you spending some of your precious gay time with me.”
Adam
laughed, but Sky’s face was serious. He meant it.
laughed, but Sky’s face was serious. He meant it.
Adam
shrugged. “I don’t know why, I just like you.” He shook his head. “That didn’t
come out well. I mean, there are lots of reasons to like you, but this isn’t
quite my usual scene. Long walks on the beach. World peace. You know?”
shrugged. “I don’t know why, I just like you.” He shook his head. “That didn’t
come out well. I mean, there are lots of reasons to like you, but this isn’t
quite my usual scene. Long walks on the beach. World peace. You know?”
Sky
smiled. “I’m into world peace too.”
smiled. “I’m into world peace too.”
Adam
grinned. “I was afraid of that.”
grinned. “I was afraid of that.”
The
waves pounded, birds chirped, gulls squawked, breezes blew, the sun set. He
barely paid attention to these things normally, but right now they seemed a
part of Sky. Like his curls were one with the wind, and his eyes a part of the
darkening horizon.
waves pounded, birds chirped, gulls squawked, breezes blew, the sun set. He
barely paid attention to these things normally, but right now they seemed a
part of Sky. Like his curls were one with the wind, and his eyes a part of the
darkening horizon.
Poetry? What the hell did this guy do to
him?
him?
Sky
looked at him. Adam felt the heat of his gaze and turned toward the angel face.
Sky’s lips were barely parted. Full and wet. So beautiful.
looked at him. Adam felt the heat of his gaze and turned toward the angel face.
Sky’s lips were barely parted. Full and wet. So beautiful.
He
leaned toward Adam. Adam closed the rest of the distance.
leaned toward Adam. Adam closed the rest of the distance.
Their
lips touched.
lips touched.
The Balls to the Wall Series
Volley Balls
Bk #1
Available at
Fire Balls
Bk #2
Available to purchase
About the Author
Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 32. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Paranormal Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog near the sea in California where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!
You can find Tara at Lain
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