Excerpt Day: Tactics by Stevie Woods

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Tactics by Stevie Woods
Release Date: 04/2009
Publisher: Torquere Books
ISBN: 978-1-60370-420-5
ISBN (10): 1-60370-420-5
Publisher Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1370

Blurb: Colin and Michael are best buds. They always have been, but neither of them have ever been willing to admit there might be more to it. When Colin is suddenly injured in an accident, though, Michael starts to realize that he can't hide his deeper feelings for his friend. Should Michael act on his feelings, or will Colin turn him away? Using the careful strategy of a game of chess, Colin and Michael dance around the idea that they can deepen their relationship, but there's a lot more at stake than just bragging rights. Can Michael and Colin win at love?

Excerpt:

"Perfect. See you soon, Mike. And thanks."

"Ciao, Col!"

Colin held on to the receiver for a moment listening to the silence, smiling at Mike´s use of his trademark words. He hadn´t been completely truthful with Michael, not telling his friend how he´d begged the doctor to let him go home. He hated it in the hospital, a long-standing dislike. Having Michael there helped but an hour or so of his company a day wasn´t enough. In some ways it only made it worse. Colin hadn´t told the doctor that he had hardly slept the night before, but then the cause hadn´t been entirely due to his injury. His mind kept going over the conversation with Michael, and perhaps even more, the notable silences.

Colin had been less than cautious last evening, particularly during the chess game. Probably as a result of his injury, his emotions had been too near the surface and he had carelessly allowed them to show, but perhaps it hadn´t been a bad thing if what he believed he saw in Michael was true. He wasn't sure if he imagined Michael's reactions -- they had been all he had ever wanted... the interest ...the hunger -- but had they been real or only the mirror of his own desires?

He couldn't answer the question and it was driving him crazy. He needed a resolution and thought the only way to get one was to move forward, even if that meant forcing the pace. The problem was that he was nervous of what pursuing it might reveal. What if Colin was way off the mark and Michael didn´t feel that way about him? How much damage might he do to their friendship? Should he take the risk? Damned if he did, and damned if he didn´t. Fuck!