Today I am so pleased to welcome Layla Reyne to Joyfully Jay. Layla has come to share an exclusive excerpt from her upcoming release, Medley (Changing Lanes #2). She has also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving her a big welcome!

Excerpt

In the week and a half of intensive training since qualifying for the US Olympic Team and being selected for the medley relay squad, Jacob Burrows had been what everyone else needed him to be. The sense of humor Bas’s too-tense best friend and team captain, Alex, needed. The single swimmer willing to suffer poster boy and team pariah, Dane. A blank canvas for Bas to work on after a crazy Media Day when the simmering tension between Alex and Dane had boiled over, and Dane had leapt off his ivory pedestal.

Whatever anyone else needed.

But who was Jacob? A steadily improving swimmer at the University of Texas, the rising junior had gotten his first big win at Trials, shattering the two-hundred-meter breaststroke US record. One hell of an entrance onto the elite competitive swimming scene, and one hell of a fire to be thrown into. Now he was the youngest rookie, “the pup,” on a USA Swimming team riddled with drama, even more so than the drama Bas had caused four years ago. And they weren’t even in Madrid yet. Jacob deftly juggled the team dynamics, but surely the pressure was mounting on him too. What did he need? And why did Jacob put everyone else’s needs before his own? Pure altruism or something more? Or less?

And right here, right now, was Bas taking advantage of those selfless tendencies? He should stop. Tell the shop-cat out front that the pup had changed his mind. Happened all the time at Bas’s tattoo shop back in LA. He was sure it’d be nothing new here in San Antonio either. Or maybe Jacob did need this. Maybe needle to skin would loosen his tongue enough to tell Bas his story.

What Jacob needed.

Alex had asked Bas to watch over the rook while they kept their secret weapon hidden from the media and other teams. To do that, Bas needed to know what he was dealing with—when and where the cracks might appear—so he could help Jacob. It was no less than Jacob’s selflessness deserved, and the least Bas could do, after being so selfish on his last Olympic tour. If tonight was his chance to help Jacob and his team, then he’d make the most of the offered opportunity, the way he knew best. Through his art.

Closing his eyes, Bas bounced his fist on his knee as he visualized the design. Something Jacob wouldn’t regret when the tequila wore off. Something he’d later look at with pride and others would look at in awe.


Blurb

eMEDLEY_SECONDSebastian Stewart was never Mr. Dependable; he was more the good-time guy who only wanted to swim, party, and ink tattoos. Until he cost his team the Olympic gold four years ago. Bas is determined to do right this time around—by his medley relay team and his rookie mentee.

Jacob Burrows is in over his head. The Olympic experience—from the hazing, to the endless practices, to the unrelenting media—makes the shy nineteen-year-old’s head spin. He’s trying to be everything to everyone while trying not to fall for his gorgeous tattooed teammate who just gets him—gets his need to fix things, his dorky pirate quips, and his bisexuality.

When Jacob falters under the stress, threatening his individual races and the medley relay gold, he needs Bas’s help to escape from drowning. Bas, however, fearing a repeat of his mistakes four years ago, pushes Jacob away, sure he’ll only let Jacob down. But the only path to salvaging gold is for Jacob to finally ask for what he needs—the heart of the man he loves—and for Bas to become the dependable one.


Bio

LaylaAuthor Layla Reyne was raised in North Carolina and now calls San Francisco home. She enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart pounding romance. When she’s not writing stories to excite her readers, she downloads too many books, watches too much television, and cooks too much food with her scientist husband, much to the delight of their smushed-face, leftover-loving dogs. Layla is a member of Romance Writers of America and its Kiss of Death and Rainbow Romance Writers chapters. She was a 2016 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist in Romantic Suspense.

Connect with Layla Reyne: Twitter | Instagram | FB Page | FB Group | Newsletter | Goodreads | Pinterest


Giveaway

Layla has brought backlist books to give away along her tour. Just follow the Rafflecopter link below to enter. 

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