Title: Off Base
Series: Out of Uniform #1
Author: Annabeth Albert
Publisher: Carina Press
Release
Date: January 9th 2017
Heat
Level: 4 - Lots of Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 73,000
Genre: Romance, Military, SEALs, Contemporary,
Roommates-to-lovers
Synopsis
After trading the barracks for a
fixer-upper rental, navy SEAL Zack Nelson wants peace, not a
roommate—especially not Pike, who sees things about Zack he most wants to hide.
Pike's flirting puts virgin Zack on edge. And the questions Pike's arrival
would spark from Zack's teammates about his own sexuality? Nope. Not going
there. But Zack can't refuse.
Pike Reynolds knows there won't be a
warm welcome in his new home. What can he say? He's an acquired taste. But he
needs this chance to get his life together. Also, teasing the uptight SEAL will
be hella fun. Still, Pike has to tread carefully; he's had his fill of tourists
in the past, and he can't risk his heart on another, not even one as hot, as
built—and, okay, yeah, as adorable—as Zack.
Living with Pike crumbles Zack's
restraint and fuels his curiosity. He discovers how well they fit together in
bed…in the shower…in the hallway… He needs Pike more than he could have
imagined, yet he doesn't know how to be the man Pike deserves.
Book One of the Out of Uniform series
This book is approximately 73,000 words
One-click with confidence. This title is
part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you're looking for
with an HEA/HFN. It's a promise! Find out more at
CarinaPress.com/RomancePromise
Excerpt
“What do you mean they’re not coming?”
Zack tried hard to sound like the badass navy SEAL he was now. He’d passed all
sorts of interrogation training—there was no reason he couldn’t hide that he
didn’t particularly like this guy. Or this fancy bar where he and his nontrendy
clothes and military haircut were out of place. He’d agreed to go out for
drinks with a group. His friend Ryan had promised him a drink for finishing his
SEAL qualification training and getting his trident, and Zack had figured
dealing with the rest of Ryan’s crowd wouldn’t be horrible. But tolerable was a
far cry from being stranded alone with Pike freaking Reynolds without Ryan as a
buffer.
“They blew two tires getting out of
Santa Monica and are waiting on a repair truck now. Ryan said to have fun
without them.” Pike looked harmless enough—shorter than Zack with a lean build
and bright red hair and freckles that made him look too young to drink—but Zack
knew from experience he was anything but benign. Pike was the type of guy who
would flirt with wallpaper, but he seemed to have singled Zack out for special
attention ever since their first meeting at a LAN party.
Which was all well and good, but unlike
a lot of Ryan’s crowd, Zack wasn’t openly gay. And what Zack hated was that
Pike seemed to see through all his “no, really I’m straight” protests and see
things Zack refused to even think about. And a whole night with Pike? Torture.
And that was coming from someone who’d been tossed into frigid water with his
arms and legs bound. Repeatedly.
But he’d happily endure another round of
drownproof training if it meant an easy out of this situation.
“Is Landon coming?” Please say it’s not
just us. Surely, Pike’s omnipresent sidekick would be there to bail Zack out.
“Nope. He’s doing research at the Hadron
Collider for the next few months. Just us, I think.” Pike grinned at him.
“Alone at last, right?”
Zack guessed that the Hadron was one of
those supersmart things Pike’s crowd just assumed everyone else knew about. He
certainly wasn’t about to appear dumb and ask. “You don’t have to stick around
on my account,” he said instead.
“Dude.” Pike smacked him on the
shoulder. “I’ve had a shit week. Another three interviews for jobs for the
fall, another three fuckups on my part. Don’t make me drink alone.”
“I guess I could do a beer.”
“On me, right? We’re all super stoked
that you passed SQT.” Pike gave him another of those disarming smiles.
Ba-deep-deep. Zack’s phone chimed. Sure
enough, there was a message from Ryan apologizing for bailing. Have fun with
Pike, Ryan ended. But whatever you do, don’t let him talk you into shots. He
looks scrawny, but he can drink you under the table. Trust me.
Zack shoved his phone away. Nope, no way
was he doing shots with Pike. Last thing he needed was to get drunk and forget
himself around the guy.
“So what’ll it be? They have a whole
selection of craft beers here.” Pike offered him one of the little bar menus
artfully strewn around on the huge antique wood bar.
“A Bud’s fine,” Zack said. He’d never
developed a taste for the fancy stuff. This whole place was fancier than he was
used to, what with the exposed hardwoods everywhere, the prettified bar food
emerging from the kitchen, and the painted inspirational quotes behind the bar.
Even the name, Mellow, was a far cry from the hole-in-the-wall places he’d
drunk at in college or even Big Ted’s, the little sports bar right off base
that his fellow SEALs favored.
Pike signaled the burly bartender, who
frowned at them after Pike gave their order for a Bud and some fancy-ass beer
Zack had never heard of. “Hand stamps, please. Both of you.”
Zack stuck his hand out, showing that
the bouncer had indeed checked his ID. Pike put his arm right next to
Zack’s—way too close for comfort. “See, look at us, finding things in common.”
“Getting carded is hardly something to
be proud of,” Zack mumbled as he pulled his arm away. Back in San Diego, when
he went to the bars with his friends, they never got carded anymore. And he
liked that—he was twenty-three now, for crying out loud.
“Of course it’s not for you, Muscles.”
Pike did that whole standing-too-close thing again, moving over so others could
get to the bar.
Zack really shouldn’t like that Pike
noticed what the past few months of training had done for his physique. He’d always
been lean, but days of log- and boat-carry drills had carved out muscles he
hadn’t even been aware he had. Zack accepted his beer from the bartender, then
followed Pike to one of the little high-top tables ringing the bar area.
“Seriously, you are jacked now.” Pike
winked at him, giving him the sort of once-over Zack’s buddies gave girls in
bikinis. “Look at those shoulders. It even makes you look taller.”
Flattery was not going to work on Zack.
Not even a bit. Besides, Pike was the short one, probably five seven or so. But
Zack was a perfectly respectable five ten. In your boots.
“Truth, man. I just call it like I see
it.” Pike shrugged. And that right there was the whole problem with Pike—he had
absolutely no filter and a way too keen sense of observation.
Purchase
Links
Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/off-base-annabeth-albert/1124564566?ean=9781335016355
Meet the Author
Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance
novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the
open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s
a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny
stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding
happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights
supporter. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a
rewarding day job and wrangles two children.
Author
Links
Website: http://www.annabethalbert.com/
Annabeth’s Angels: https://www.facebook.com/groups/annabethsangels/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/Nb9yv
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