Excerpt: Beyond the Norm by Shawn Lane

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Beyond the Norm by Shawn Lane
Release Date: 09/2009
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
ISBN-13: 978-1-61581-050-5
Buy Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=167&products_id=1470

Amazon Kindle: Beyond the Norm

Blurb: After closing his bar one night, Dave Johnson rescues Kyle, who is on the run after witnessing the murder of a federal agent in San Francisco. Dave knows Kyle is trouble but can't help falling in love; Kyle loses his heart but fears he's bringing danger to Dave's doorstep. When Kyle's pursuers close in, the two men are at an impasse. They can either separate and live in safety and loneliness, or find a way to stay alive and together.

Excerpt:

DAVE bent over to peer into the refrigerator to see what he could feed his guest. He´d changed into sweats and a thin white muscle T-shirt, and he´d taken out his contacts and replaced them with his gold wire-framed glasses. He had some leftover Chinese food he´d picked up a couple of days ago. He opened the little white package and sniffed. Smelled okay. He set the container on the counter and reached into the cabinet for two plates.

"Hey, cool glasses."

Dave turned to see Kyle standing just inside the kitchen doorway. "Thanks."

"Dude, don´t you have anything in black?" Earlier when he´d brought him the clothes, Dave had resisted taking a peek while the young man showered. He hadn´t even glanced in the direction of the steamy shower glass. But now it was hard to keep his gaze off Kyle. Kyle had pulled on the navy blue shorts and pumpkin orange T-shirt Dave had left in the bathroom. They were way too big for him and hung rather awkwardly on his slim body. And he had reapplied his eyeliner.

Damn, the man was just adorable. Not at all Dave´s usual type. If he had one. Did he? He didn´t know. Maybe guys like himself. Whatever. But not pretty boys with black eyeliner and pouty, kissable lips. He sure hoped his sweatpants hid his obvious erection. But damn, the kid was hot.

"No, the navy shorts were as close as I could find," Dave said. "I threw your clothes in the washer. There was some blood on them. You okay?"

He noticed Kyle´s left cheek was already turning a bit purple, and there was a small cut there too. There was a bruise developing by his mouth. Dave suspected his ribs were probably bruised, too, if they weren´t broken. He wondered if Kyle had any head injuries. He really should have insisted on taking the kid to the hospital.

"Yeah, I´m all right. Just a bit banged up." Kyle smiled crookedly. "Maybe a bit sore, but I´ve had worse."

Dave nodded."You working the streets?"

"You mean selling my body or something?"

"Yeah."

Kyle shrugged. "I´ve done it before, but it´s been a while. A couple years, at least. And I only did it for a short time."

Dave spooned Chinese food on to the plates. "Drug habit?"

"Is this the Spanish Inquisition or what?"