Today I am so excited to welcome the fabulous Bella Leone to the blog.  Bella is here to share an excerpt from her new book, Downpour, being released today from Loose Id.  Please join me in giving her a big welcome!


Excerpt

When Jesse finds me on the couch, eating pho, watching an infomercial about an adult onesie, he drags me out of the house.

“Double shots of Jameson, please.” Jesse orders us drinks, and I glare at him. “Enough with the dramatics, man. It’s unbecoming.” He stares for a moment, and the bartender drops off our shots. “You look like shit.”

“Thanks.”

“No seriously, Marky Mark. What the hell’s wrong with you? You never act like this. I’ve seen you serious about a guy once, and even then it wasn’t that serious.” Jesse was there for me when Josh and I broke up. And the subsequent late-night booty calls and drama. He’s always been there, just like today.

Wiping my hand across my face, I huff out, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Talk to me. Is it Clint?”

“Yeah.”

“And?” He leans forward and waves his hand. “Speak.”

I sigh. “He’s gone.”

“He moved?”

“I don’t know. He’s just…gone.”

“Are you kidding? You saw him every day for like a year, and you take him home with you and then he disappears?”

I kind of hate Jesse right now.

“You must suck in bed.”

No, I do hate him.

I move to get off the bar stool, but he grabs me and pulls me down. “Shit, I’m sorry. I forget you don’t take jokes well when you’re butt-hurt. He’s probably visiting family or had an emergency or something.”

“Why do people keep saying that? The man said he had no family, and everyone says his valid excuse for ignoring my existence is his invisible family. Forget that.”

“Okay. I get it. So he doesn’t like you.”

I hang my head and study the bar.

“Dude. You can’t just roll over and die.” He swats my cheek, so I look back at him. “He was a good fuck, yes?”

Normally, I’d slap Jesse upside his head for that kind of crap, and we’d end up in a wrestling match. I would find myself with him sitting on me and smacking me with my own hand, but I just nod pathetically.

“Okay then,” he coos. “You had great sex. Now you move on.”

“How do I move on when he’s all I can think about?”

“We get you going with someone else. We’ll find you some cute, nerdy kid with skinny jeans or a hot twink and just…get you back on the horse.”

I whine, “What if I don’t want another horse?”

He pats me sympathetically on the shoulder. “Well, then, you can move back in with your parents and adopt some cats.”

As we’re walking home from the bar, my phone rings. I’ve had several shots of whiskey, so I barely get my phone out, then drop it. “Shit.”

“Got it.” Jesse grabs my phone and answers it. “Mark’s phone.” I hear someone talking on the other end and try to reach it, but Jesse uses his gargantuan arm to hold me away from it. “No, he isn’t here right now. Can I take a message?” The other person talks as I try to work my way toward the phone futilely. Jesse is built like a brick shithouse, and although I’m tall, trying to climb him while drunk is useless. “Tyson. Well, I’m Jesse, the roommate. Pleasure to talk with you. I do know he’s available on Friday. Would you want to have a drink? We’re all going to a bar downtown, then probably doing some dancing.”

“What?”

Jesse grabs me into a headlock and covers my mouth so I can’t protest louder. “Fantastic, Tyson. Cannot wait to meet you. See you about nine on Friday at the Dubliner on Second Avenue. Awesome. I’ll tell him.”

When Jesse releases me, I glare at him.

“Here’s your phone. Don’t drop it again. They don’t like it.”

“What the hell was that?”

“That was me getting you a horse. You’re welcome.”

“I just… I didn’t… Son of a bitch, Jesse!”

Jesse turns and gets in my face. “Don’t talk about my mom that way. She bakes you cookies.”

If I weren’t pissed and seeing two of him, I’d laugh.

“So Tyson was given your number by Dr. Momma-san.” Then he throws his head back and laughs. “Your mom’s your wingman.” He laughs again even louder, and I stare at him dumbfounded as he turns to walk home.


Blurb

Weathering one of the fiercest storms of your life can seem almost impossible, but once you’re through it, things can be a whole lot brighter. Markus Simmons, a pre-med student who moonlights as a barista, narrates as he and his long-time crush, Clinton Stewart, learn more about themselves and what they’re willing to go through to heal and be together.

It took weeks before Markus knew his crush’s name. It took months of serving him coffee every morning before Markus learned that Clinton was an American History major. It took nearly six months into their senior year at UC Davis before Markus accidentally found out that Clinton had no family, few friends, and rather than the dorms, he actually lived in the library.


Author Bio

Bella Leone is an erotic romance author who discriminates against no combination of lovers. M/M, M/F, F/F, and all multiples thereof are fair game. She writes about people in like, in lust, and, ultimately, in love. Bella recently moved to New England from Arizona with her husband and furry minions. When she’s not writing, she’s usually lending a helping hand to other authors or indulging in her penchant for historical & paranormal fiction, petite brunettes, and athletic gingers.

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