Off the Ice by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn
Release date: March 25, 2019
Publisher: Carina Press
Blurb:
Previously published; newly
refreshed by the authors
---
He’s hot for teacher
NHL star Tristan Holt may be
at the top of his game, but he’s already thinking one play ahead. Hitting the
books in the off-season means he’ll have a business degree to fall back on when
it’s time to hang up his hockey skates.
But his straightforward plan
is complicated by his undeniable attraction to his sexy sociology professor,
Sebastian Cruz.
Impressed by Tristan’s brain
as well as his brawn, Sebastian can’t help lusting after the gorgeous jock.
With tenure on the line, Sebastian won’t break the rules by becoming involved
with one of his students—at least, not until the end of term. Once final grades
are posted, though, their naughty mutual fantasies can become reality.
Tristan’s not sure he’s up
for being the poster boy for openly gay hockey players, but Sebastian’s never
been the type of man to keep his sexuality—or his relationships—in the closet.
For Tristan, being with Sebastian might mean risking more than just his heart.
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!
Excerpt :
For a time the
music distracted him. Tristan swayed in place, caught up in the energy of the
now-substantial crowd and enjoying the rare opportunity to hear his favorite
songs played live. That wasn’t always easy for a classic rock fan whose
favorite groups no longer performed, and who, generally speaking, wasn’t all
that into cover bands.
But soon the
novelty wore off. Tristan noticed the time and the distinct lack of one
Sebastian Cruz. Like the flame of a candle, his excitement flickered and
abruptly sputtered out, leaving nothing but wispy smoke in its wake.
Concerts were a
lot more fun when you had someone else to share the experience with. Couples
and groups of friends filled the venue. Tristan was one of the few who watched
alone, conspicuous in the way he stood apart from the others.
He frowned,
deposited his empty bottle on the tray of a passing server, and made his way to
the bar for another beer. During the regular season he normally limited himself
to two, preferring to get his carbs from food instead of alcohol, but fuck it.
Training camp didn’t start for nearly another two months. After being stood up,
he was due another drink or three.
Tristan snorted.
Why was he kidding himself? Professor Cruz never had any intention of meeting
him. He’d probably regaled his highbrow academic friends with the story of his
student’s clumsy attempt to ask him out. No doubt they had a good laugh about
it while drinking wine and eating canapés or whatever the hell else snobby
professors did in their spare time. Tristan already knew what Sebastian Cruz
thought of athletes.
He’d just flagged
down a bartender and placed his order when he sensed a presence at his side.
Tristan turned and found himself face-to-face with the man himself. Professor
Cruz was dressed casually in dark jeans, boots, and a button-down shirt. He’d
left the top two buttons undone, and Tristan’s gaze automatically went to the
prominent collarbones covered in smooth golden-brown skin. All the moisture
fled his mouth at the thought of putting his lips to the divot at the base of
Professor Cruz’s throat. Tristan wanted to bite and lick there, inhale until
the scent of sweat and man made him
drunk with lust.
“Mr. Holt.”
Tristan swallowed
hard. “Professor,” he rasped. Sebastian,
Tristan really wanted to call him. The name appealed to him as much as its
owner. Tristan wished he had the right to use it whenever he pleased.
The bartender
delivered Tristan’s beer and grabbed the money Tristan had placed on the bar
top. He jerked his head at Professor Cruz. “What can I get you?”
“Single malt, neat.
Glenlivet, preferably. If not, the best you have.”
Of course he
would drink Scotch and order it neat, the sexy bastard. Tristan pictured him as
the leading man in some classic black-and-white film—crystal tumbler in one
hand, a thick cigar between his lips, a plume of smoke curling around his
sharp-jawed face. The image sent blood rushing straight to Tristan’s cock. Shit. There went all his bitter thoughts
from a few minutes before, carried away by the rumbling bass of Professor
Cruz’s voice and the sight of his dark-brown eyes and darker, finger-tousled
hair.
Tristan almost
sighed. He was weak—he knew it—but how could he be strong with Professor Cruz
standing here looking like that?
Tristan wanted to drop to his knees. Only awareness of his surroundings kept
him upright.
After starting a
tab, Professor Cruz inclined his head, silently encouraging Tristan to follow.
They moved away from the bar to a small gap along the back wall.
“How’s the band?”
Professor Cruz asked, his eyes fixed on the stage.
Tristan watched,
wetting his mouth as Professor Cruz took a slow sip of the amber liquid in his
glass. “They’re good, I think,” Tristan replied. “I stopped paying attention a
little while ago.”
Professor Cruz
glanced at him. “Why?”
Tristan smiled
wryly. “I was waiting for you.”
Piper Vaughn Bio:
Piper Vaughn is a queer Latinx
author and longtime romance reader. Since writing their first love story at age
eleven, they’ve known writing in some form was exactly what they wanted to do.
A reader to the core, Piper loves nothing more than getting lost in a great
book.
Piper grew up in a diverse
neighborhood in Chicago and loves putting faces and characters of every
ethnicity in their stories, making their fictional worlds as colorful as the
real one. Above all, Piper believes there’s no one way to have an HEA, and
every person deserves to see themselves reflected on the page.
Connect with Piper:
Avon Gale Bio:
Avon Gale lives in a liberal Midwestern college town, where she
spends her days getting heavily invested in everything from craft projects to
video games. She likes road trips by car, rock concerts, thunderstorms, IPAs,
Kentucky bourbon and tattoos. As a queer author, Avon is committed to providing
happy endings for all and loves to tell stories that focus on found families,
strong and open communication, and friendship.
She loves writing about quirky people who might not be perfect, but always find a place where they belong. In her former life, Avon wrote fanfiction at her desk while ostensibly doing work in non-profit fundraising for public radio and women’s liberal arts education, and worked on her books in between haircuts and highlights as a stylist. Now she’s a full-time writer, delighted to be able to tell stories for a living.
She loves writing about quirky people who might not be perfect, but always find a place where they belong. In her former life, Avon wrote fanfiction at her desk while ostensibly doing work in non-profit fundraising for public radio and women’s liberal arts education, and worked on her books in between haircuts and highlights as a stylist. Now she’s a full-time writer, delighted to be able to tell stories for a living.
Avon is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan of Handspun
Literary Agency.
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