Title: Gatekeeper
Author: Charity Parkerson
Series: Low Blow #5
Release Date: October 30th 2017
Genre: MM Romance
BLURB
He’s a
player. Everyone knows it. Except Sean isn’t a game to him.
Mateo has
been the biggest contender for the Super Lightweight title for over two years.
No matter how hard he works, he can’t seem to beat the current champ. Since
boxing is all he has in the world, it’s an issue. His confidence is in the can,
and his social life is non-existent. Mateo has had no real friends or
relationships that have lasted longer than one night in years. That is, until
he meets a man whose beautiful heart leaves him mystified.
Rescuing a
drunk from the parking lot of his workplace, Slip, isn’t a new thing for Sean.
People leave the bar and grill plastered and intent on driving all the time.
Usually, Sean calls them a cab and sends them on their way. Mateo is the first
one he’s ever taken home. There’s something sad about Mateo. Sean lost all his
friends years ago, and he sees a kindred spirit in the sexy boxer. It’s easier
than he ever dreams to consider the man his best friend in no time at all.
Except he’s not. Mateo is so much more.
It’ll take
the purest heart to save a broken man from a hellish life. Unfortunately, when
it comes to Mateo and Sean, it’s hard to know who needs rescuing the most.
Find Gatekeeper on Goodreads
Find the Low Blow series on Goodreads
Pre-Order: Amazon Universal
EXCERPT
The room
was a pale yellow. Mateo didn’t have a single room in his house painted that
color. It was also bright. Mateo liked to party on the weekends and always kept
his curtains drawn tight. He rolled. His arms and legs scrambled for purchase
as he met nothing but empty air. Luckily, it wasn’t that far of a drop from the
unfamiliar couch to the floor. Unfortunately, he landed on hardwood flooring.
He blinked at the ceiling and tried gathering his bearings. A face appeared
over him.
“You’re
alive.”
Those sexy
green eyes. That sweet smile. “Sean?”
“You’re
alive and you remember my name,” he said as he bent to lend Mateo a hand up.
Mateo
accepted, because even after trying to kill himself with alcohol, he still
wanted to touch the sexy waiter, but he didn’t let the man bear the brunt of
his weight. Mateo was solid muscle. He was too conscious of hurting the slim
and sexy man who’d rescued him from the parking lot of Slip. It was all coming
back to him. He’d been plastered and couldn’t remember where he’d left his
Jeep.
“You
brought me to your house? I might’ve been a serial killer or a rapist.” Mateo
thought it over before adding, “Or both. A serial rapist.”
Sean’s
sexy smile didn’t abate. “So you said last night.”
Mateo’s
brows drew together. “Did I?”
A gorgeous
laugh filled the air. Even feeling like death, with the world’s worst headache
and cottonmouth, Mateo recognized he’d never heard a sexier sound. “Yes. Would
you like some coffee?”
Mateo
couldn’t let it go. “You could’ve gotten hurt. For real, Sean.”
Something
dark passed over Sean’s features before quickly disappearing. “I didn’t.
There’s some pain relievers on the table and I made a quiche.”
Exclusive Excerpt
Exclusive Excerpt
Mateo didn’t think. He reacted. His feet
moved. Their bodies collided. Mateo pinned Sean to the counter where he
couldn’t get away. “Do you know what I want most in the world?”
Sean shook his head but didn’t speak. With his
chin tilted up, Sean held Mateo’s gaze, but he looked wary.
“You’re giving it to me right now,” Mateo
answered. “I want your time. Your company.” Mateo swallowed. Sean made him so
goddamn weak and strong at the same time. “I need to know you have a reliable
phone to reach me with if you need me.” He stuffed the phone in Sean’s front
pocket, refusing to be rejected.
“Okay.” Sean’s agreement came out so low,
Mateo wouldn’t have heard if he hadn’t been standing so close. “Do you want
your present?”
Mateo’s hunger grew. Without thought, his
hands moved to Sean’s hips. His thumbs brushed the bare skin above Sean’s
waistband. “You mean this isn’t it?”
Sean’s smile melted Mateo’s heart. “No. It’s
in my bag.”
Even though he didn’t want to, Mateo took a
step back, freeing Sean. He didn’t watch as Sean disappeared down the hall. He
was afraid— if he did— he might follow. Thankfully, Sean returned before Mateo
had too much time to think about it. Sean handed him a small box. It was
cheerfully wrapped to perfection. He almost hated to mess up the hard work that
had gone into the packaging. Nervous anticipation rolled off Sean in waves, so
Mateo dug in. It was a watch. Even though it wasn’t an expensive watch, it wasn’t
cheap either.
“I know people don’t really wear watches
anymore and I’ve never seen you wear one, this is more a sentimental piece.
Flip it over.”
Mateo flipped it over. The back was engraved.
“Time always flies when I’m with you— Sean”
Mateo’s chest tightened. He set the watch on
the kitchen island and closed the distance between them. “Why are you so
amazing?” Mateo asked as he gathered Sean against his chest and squeezed.
GIVEAWAY: Win a Kindle Fire with case
About the Author
Charity Parkerson is an award winning and multi-published author with Ellora's Cave Publishing, Midnight Books, and Punk & Sissy Publications. Born with no filter from her brain to her mouth, she decided to take this odd quirk and insert it in her characters. *Winner of 2, 2014 Readers' Favorite Awards *2014 Golden Ankh nominee *2013 Readers' Favorite Award Winner *2013 Reviewers' Choice Award Winner *2012 ARRA Finalist for Favorite Paranormal Romance *Five-time winner of The Mistress of the Darkpath
Links: Website | Facebook | Facebook Group | Twitter
No comments:
Post a Comment