From the Blurb:
Gordy-
We all have choices to make and consequences to suffer. Two decades ago, I chose Shannon. But Shannon didn’t choose me. He chose my family instead. And when he broke my heart, my consequence was an addiction to food. I spent years overcoming my struggles, all while my anger and hurt multiplied. I swore to myself I would never make the same mistake twice, until I met Aries. I fell hard for my best friend. Unfortunately, so had Shannon.
Were the mistakes of my past doomed to repeat themselves?
Shannon-
I chose to have a family, over the love of one man. Their warmth and acceptance were commodities I yearned for my entire life. But nothing comes without cost, and the price I paid to become a Carrick was too high. I lost my best friend, the only man I’d ever loved, and was convinced I’d never have it again. Until Aries.
I vowed never to hurt Gordy again. How was I going to find the strength to walk away from love a second time?
Aries-
My bromance with Gordy had quickly bloomed into a full-fledged romance, while my crush on Shannon had ignited from a spark into a raging inferno. I was in love with two men at the same time. Two men who hated each other. Did I mention they were also cousins? Choosing one was impossible. My only option was to make them see how good the three of us could be together.
Are love and hate really two sides of the same coin?
Tequila And Tattoos is the fourth and final book in the Love And Libations series. This MMM romance features feuding cousins, a piercing fetish, issues with an eating disorder and body dysmorphia, and three guys who couldn’t be more opposite; a hippie tattoo artist, a flirty bar owner, and a grumpy chef.
Excerpt:
“Good. Now tell me what brings you here in the afternoon. Aren’t you working?”
“I am. I just decided to grab lunch in between clients. I went down to the coffee shop, and they have this new flavor, milk chocolate cappuccino. I swear it tastes just like a YooHoo! I had to buy one for Gordy.”
That green-eyed monster called jealousy reared its ugly head again. It bothered me that they were so familiar with each other. But of course, Aries knew he liked YooHoo. He lived with him. I wondered what other private jokes and insider information they had on each other. Aries straightened and grabbed a napkin from a stack on top of the bar and wiped the condensation from the outside of the cup, and it occurred to me that I wasn’t sure which one I was jealous of, Aries or Gordy. Jesus Christ, I wasn’t even fit for a healthy relationship. My head was totally fucked. I didn’t want anyone to know Gordy like I did, and I certainly didn’t want to compete with him for Aries’s attention.
“So, is Gordy busy?”
“Oh yeah, he’s probably slammed with dinner prep right now. Why don’t you leave that with me and I’ll make sure he gets it.”
“Sure, that’ll work. Thanks, Shannon. See ya,” he waved as he turned to leave.
“Hey,” I called out. Aries turned back. “I really am looking forward to seeing you again.” His bright smile was worth the admission.
When he left, I picked up the coffee he dropped off for Gordy and headed to the kitchen. Out of curiosity, I raised the straw to my lips to taste it. Damn, it really did taste just like YooHoo. The flavor brought back so many memories that had long been buried in my subconscious. Memories of sleepovers with Gordy, where we would stay up late watching Marvel movies, binging on snacks and YooHoo. He always had an extra one in his backpack for me, whether we were at the park or at school. Then again, Gordy always had an extra everything for me. He was the most thoughtful and considerate person I knew. Too bad that kindness hadn’t extended into adulthood.
He was standing at the sink, spraying hot water over a colander full of vegetables when I entered the kitchen.
“Hey, Gordo, got something for you.”
He turned the water off and faced me. Gordy looked at me curiously, arching his brows when he saw the coffee in my hand.
“Your friend brought this by.”
I emphasized the word friend with a lot of meaning. Which made him scowl. Gordy Carrick had perfected the scowl. His thick, dark brows slashed down over his nose and eyes, shadowing them. His full lips compressed into a thin straight line. He looked ominous.
“Aries was here?”
“Funny, you knew exactly who I was talking about. I didn’t mention any names.”
“Where is he now?”
“He left. He only stopped by to bring you a snack. Isn’t that cute? Said it tastes just like YooHoo.”
Why couldn’t I just walk away? What devil made me stand there and fuck with him? I just needed a reaction. Anything to let me know he was still in there. The boy from my memories. The one that used to care. I brought the straw to my lips and sucked. Gordy grabbed the drink from me.
“Get your fucking lips off my straw.” He slammed the drink down on the countertop. “What’s the matter, Shannon? Does our friendship make you feel threatened?”
“Threatened? By you? Hardly, Gourd. But tell me the truth. Did you sit up all night on Monday waiting for your friend to get home? Wondering just how late I would keep him out? And what I was doing to him?”
He looked like he was going to advance on me. I knew he wanted to, but instead, he balled his fists by his sides and swallowed his anger, his nostrils flaring as he breathed in through his nose.
“You’re a fucking asshole.”
“You must be rubbing off on me then,” I countered.
“I wouldn’t rub off on you if you were the last man on earth.”
I took a step closer, crowding him against the counter. “Careful, Gourd. It almost sounds as if you wish I were. Is that what you want? To have me all to yourself?”
His green eyes widened, his mouth stretching into a flat line as my words sank in, and then he pushed against my chest. Hard.
“I don’t want you at all.”
I scoffed, shaking my head, and then turned on my heel and walked out of the kitchen, as if I didn’t have any more time to waste on him.
No, there isn’t a shred of the boy I used to know left inside him.
Tequila and Tattoos releases on Thursday September 7, 2023 and will be available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
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