Title: Everything I Have
Series: B-Sides, Book Two
Author: Keelan Ellis
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: November 20, 2017
Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex
Pairing: Male/Male, Male/Male/Female (Male/Male interaction)
Length: 57500
Genre: Contemporary, historical-1970’s, California, bisexual, coming out, over 40, family drama, HFN
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Synopsis
Richard Gold has always lived his life
exactly the way he wanted. And the sexual revolution of the sixties and
seventies has been a perfect fit for a man open to the full spectrum of
experiences. People are drawn to his good looks and magnetic charm, and he’s
taken advantage of all opportunities.
Now in his early forties, a small sliver
of dissatisfaction takes hold of Richard for the first time. The death of his
father and the reappearance of an estranged family member only magnify it, and
Richard begins to take stock of his life. When he meets the handsome,
meticulous, tightly wound Cliff Merriweather, he is thrown further into
confusion as the intensity of his attraction brings into question long-held
beliefs about himself. Through it all, his best friend Henry and his rock star
boyfriend are on hand to lend support.
Cliff, unexpectedly drawn to Richard’s
seductive overtures, finds a whole new world opening to him. His tightly
regimented life has been upended by a divorce, leaving him restless and
questioning. The sexual freedom a relationship with Richard promises is
exhilarating, but Cliff is wary. He’s not at all sure he wants to be a part of
the world Richard inhabits, but he no longer feels at home in the one he’s
always known.
With an undeniable physical connection,
and a friendship that continues to grow, Richard and Cliff must decide if they
can let go of their previously held beliefs about themselves, about life, and
about what it means to be in love.
This second book in the B-Sides series
can be read as a stand-alone, though reading book one is recommended for full
enjoyment.
Excerpt
Everything I Have
Keelan Ellis © 2017
All Rights Reserved
Cliff arrived at two minutes to four, as
impeccable as always, despite the later hour. Richard shook his hand, but this
time clasped his upper arm with the other hand and leaned in a bit.
“I really appreciate you coming all the
way out here,” Richard said.
“It’s no bother. The ride isn’t bad.” He
looked around the living room. “This is a beautiful house.”
“Thank you. Can I get you something to
drink?”
“I’m fine for now,” Cliff said.
“Sure. At least let me take your jacket.
There’s no need for formality here.”
“That, I can do.” He put his briefcase
down, slid the suit coat off, and handed it to Richard. “Usually that’s my
signal that it’s time for a drink,” he said, smiling. “But let’s get this
business taken care of, shall we?”
They sat in the kitchen and discussed
Richard’s options for transferring money to Becky. Richard did his best to ask
intelligent questions, but he’d never had much of a mind for—or interest
in—financial details. Ultimately, he knew he was simply going to ask Cliff to
tell him the best thing to do, and then pick that one. Over an hour had passed
by the time they’d reached a decision, and Richard sat back with an exhausted
sigh.
“I don’t know how you do this all day,”
he said.
“I don’t. I mostly do other things you
probably wouldn’t understand or be interested in, but wills and such are not my
usual bailiwick. I did this as a favor to my father, because your father was
such a big client for so many years. His business was instrumental in our
firm’s success.”
“My dad never gave any indication he was
sitting on that kind of money. I mean, you saw his house. I knew he was doing
fine, but not like that.”
“He felt—well, never mind that.” He
glanced at his watch. “I apologize. I really should be going.”
“No, please. Tell me what you were going
to say, while I fix you that drink.”
“I shouldn’t,” Cliff said, standing. He
looked uncomfortable, all of a sudden.
“I can’t force you to drink with me, but
I’d like the company while I have one, if I could impose on you.”
Cliff nodded stiffly. “Of course. In
that case, I’ll have a vodka and lime, if you’ve got it.”
Richard fixed his drink and poured a gin
and tonic for himself. “It’s a beautiful evening. Do you mind sitting outside?”
Without waiting for an answer, he handed Cliff his drink and walked toward the
glass doors to the patio. After they settled at the outdoor table, he said, “I
really am interested in what you were about to say, back there. I loved my
father, but I can’t claim to have known him all that well. If you have any
insight, I’d welcome it.”
Cliff frowned down at his drink. “The
problem is that I realized I might be betraying client privilege. In a sense,
at least. I have no business carrying tales from one client to another. I
apologize for having said anything.”
Now, Richard was intrigued, but slightly
nervous about what his dad might have said about him in confidence. “Look. My
father is dead, and unless this is a legal matter, I think you’re in the clear.
Whatever it was, I’m not going to hold it against you. If it was about me, I
have the right to know.”
“Right,” Cliff sighed. “He once said he
worried that you’d never had an incentive to strike out on your own. He felt it
was his fault that you were too comfortable to have any ambition.”
Richard’s mouth fell open, and he sat
back in his chair. “Well. I suppose I can’t find much to argue with in that.
The question is whether or not it bothers me.”
“Perhaps the idea that he judged you for
it bothers you more than the reality of it.”
Richard lifted his drink in Cliff’s
direction before draining it. “Can I freshen that up for you?”
Cliff shook his head. “If I have
another, I can’t be sure I’ll stop with that one, and I have a long drive
home.”
“Listen, I was about to make dinner.
Pasta primavera—hardly takes any time at all. Unless you have plans?”
“I—” Cliff looked a bit panicked for a
moment, but was apparently unable to think of an excuse to leave, because he
finally nodded. “Why not? I was going to stop for something on the way home,
but this is more civilized.”
They went inside, and Cliff sat at the
breakfast bar, facing the kitchen. Richard pulled ingredients from the
refrigerator and set a pot on the stove to boil. “How about a glass of wine? I
have to open one for the pasta anyway.”
“All right.”
Richard poured two glasses of white and
handed Cliff one before he began slicing vegetables. “I guess it seems like a
big chore to cook after you’ve worked all day and driven through LA traffic.”
“I suppose it would,” Cliff said. “But
even if that weren’t the case, I wouldn’t have a clue where to begin. I’ve only
been on my own for a few months. I ought to hire a housekeeper, but I want to
wait until I’m settled. The apartment I’m in is just temporary. I’m planning to
buy something in the next year or so.”
Richard looked up from his task and gave
him an inquisitive look. “Still hedging your bets, perhaps? Hoping for a
reconciliation with your wife?”
Cliff raised his eyebrows. “Do you
always ask such personal questions of people you barely know?”
“If I’m interested enough to ask about
someone, I don’t see the point in waiting. The sooner I pry, the sooner they’re
no longer someone I barely know. Or, sometimes, they bolt as far and fast as
they can. You’re still sitting here, so maybe you’ll end up being a friend.”
There was color high in Cliff’s cheeks,
and he didn’t respond for a few moments. He took another sip of his wine, and
then said, “I wouldn’t mind making a new friend. Particularly someone who
doesn’t know me from the club, or through my wife, or from college.” He nodded,
as if affirming something to himself. “And for the record, you were wrong
before. It’s not that I’m hoping for a reconciliation. It’s only that I haven’t
figured out what to do next.”
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Meet the Author
Keelan Ellis is an author of romance and detective fiction, who is always seeking to expand her literary horizons. She is a lover of music and food, and has an intense love/hate relationship with politics. Her stories reflect her passions.Website | Facebook | Twitter
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