Blog
12
Oct
2015

Lane Hayes’ Better Than Safe

Posted in: Blog Tour

I’m so happy to have Lane Hayes join me today. She stops by for a super fun interview that I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed asking. After the fun, read all about her latest book, Better Than Safe the fourth in the Better Than series. Be sure to read the excerpt, you don’t want to miss it! At the very bottom enter for a chance to win a gift card to either Amazon, ARe or Dreamspinner Press.

Amanda C. Stone: Good morning! I’m so excited to have you here today! There is magically 25 hours in a day. What would you do with the extra hour?
Lane Hayes: Wow. I could really use an extra hour every day! Lol! I would read! No hesitation.
ACS: An hour of uninterrupted reading time would be amazing! Do you have a library card and know where it is?
LH: Of course I have a library card! It’s in my wallet. I wish I’d kept every library card I’d ever owned. That would make a great Throwback conversation piece!
ACS: I’m keeping all of my old ones. We move so often I’m going to have quite the collection pretty soon. If there were a movie about your life, who would you want to play you? It can be anyone alive or dead.
LH: Hmm. The first person who springs to mind is Michelle Pfiefer. Is she available? I also have a thing for old movies, so I’ll say Ingrid Bergman too!
ACS: Oooh! Both are fabulous picks! You are traveling with The Doctor (or any other time traveling person). Would you visit the past or the future?
LH: The past. I’m a history buff. I’d love to visit 18th or 19th century Europe. I’m always fascinated by the romantic clothing, architecture, literature and political intrigue in that two hundred year span. However, I’d have to be assured the accommodations were clean before staying for too long! Lol! 🙂
ACS: I love that time period, in England specifically. So much change and innovation during that time. I would have a hard time not picking that as well. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
LH: That’s an easy one! New York City. Some day, when our kids are all in college or somewhat settled, I think we’d love to pack up and move to the East Coast. I’m from the Midwest originally and lived in upstate New York too as a child. All these years later, I still miss having four distinct seasons!
ACS: More power to you! I could never live in New York City for any extended amount of time. Nice to visit, but give me the country any day of the week! Thank you so much for joining me today. I’m so glad you were able to stop by.
LH: Thank you so much for having me on your blog today, Amanda!

Blurb:
Paul Fallon is a fashion advertising guru. He’s a genius at dealing with difficult editors, art directors, and designers alike. He thrives on the chaotic atmosphere and constant challenges. But in his personal life, he’s hoping for peace and stability. Settling down with a nice doctor or lawyer sounds perfect. Anyone but an artist. He’s been there, done that, and he doesn’t want to relive the heartache.

Seth Landau is a model, occasional guitarist, and aspiring painter. He’s quirky, flighty, and wise beyond his years. Life has taught him some tough lessons, then given him opportunities he never dreamed of. He’s learned to appreciate the fragility of life and to express it in his work. Seth’s flare for the absurd combined with a supple mind and a beautiful body are too alluring for Paul to ignore. Against his best intentions, Paul is drawn to the younger man whose particular brand of crazy challenges Paul to accept that things aren’t always as they seem. Sometimes taking a chance is better than being safe.

Excerpt:
My stomach growled. I was dead tired, hungry, and more than a little confused. Seth turned the corner before my brain could catalogue any further complaints. I studied his casual attire as he came closer. Worn black jeans, a white T-shirt with paint stains, and an unbuttoned black and blue striped cardigan. He looked more like a wacky artist than a sophisticated couture model, I mused. His sharp features were undeniably attractive but it seemed as though he’d chosen the basic clothing to downplay his beauty. Or maybe he’d just painted and couldn’t be bothered. There was something ridiculously appealing to me about our very opposite looks. Corporate formal versus art student chic. I glanced down at the sushi and willed my dick to behave.

“There you are. What kind of pasta do you want? I don’t have time to make it myself, but don’t worry, I’m buying pre-packaged but fresh. Your choices are spaghetti, tagliatelle, or pappardelle.”

I looked at the three choices he held up and pointed to the one in the middle. The tagliatelle.

“Really? I was thinking basic spaghetti but—”

“Then why did you ask?”

“I want your opinion. If you want the tagliatelle, we’ll get that one. Done.”

“Good. Let’s go. Do you have wine?”

“Yes. Hmm. I don’t know about the tag—”

“Seth. Get the spaghetti. I’m not bothered.”

“What do you mean by not bothered?”

“I mean….” I took a step forward so we stood toe to toe, Italian loafer to dirty white trainer and gave him a pointed glare. “I don’t give a shit. Pasta is pasta. It doesn’t matter to me what shape it comes in. At all.”

“You’re hungry, huh?”

“What tipped you off?”

“Sarcastic and cranky. Let’s go. You need food.” He turned away, carrying his basket of goods toward the front registers.

“What about wine?” I called after him.

He stopped in the middle of the aisle and curled his finger, motioning me to come to him with a devilish grin on his handsome face. I complied. We were alone for the moment, surrounded on either side of the cramped space by white bread and a variety of colorful cereals chock-full of preservatives and food dyes. I eyed him warily, wondering why he was stalling.

“I told you I have wine. Good wine too.”

“Marvelous. Let’s go.”

“But… there’s a catch.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course there is. What is it? You need to swing by the dry cleaners first or—”

“Kiss me.”

“Are you crazy?”

“Why is it so crazy?” he asked innocently.

“Here are a couple reasons. One, we’re in the middle of a market in a family oriented part of town and two, we’re barely friends. Not lovers. Friends don’t kiss.”

He grinned. “Sure they do. What they probably don’t do is say something like, ‘you look so fucking hot in that suit, I wish I could take it off you right here next to the Cheerios and Wheat Chex,’ so I won’t go there, but I still think it’s okay to kiss.”

I stared at him with my mouth wide open, unable to find my voice. When he chuckled in amusement at my expense, I acted with uncharacteristic impulse and reached out to cup his neck and draw him close to me. He gasped in surprise at the quick movement. I smiled as our noses brushed, perversely pleased by his shock, and suddenly glad to be the one pushing him one step further. I licked his bottom lip before fusing my mouth over his in a swift but passionate kiss. I backed up with a grin and sauntered away, taking care he didn’t see me adjust my trousers as I moved with purpose to the front registers.

I set my bag of tomatoes on the conveyer belt and stepped aside when Seth joined me a moment later.

“You play dirty,” he muttered as he set the contents in his basket with mine.

“You asked for it.”

“Maybe I did. Beware. I can play dirty too.”

I bit my cheek hard and turned toward the rack of magazines nearby, hoping to diffuse the sexual tension racing through my body. Stress, exhaustion, and hunger were suddenly non-issues. All I wanted now was sex. The one thing I couldn’t have with this man. Not without risking more than I was willing.

About Lane:
Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to a well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles both be men! Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her first novel was a finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Awards and her third received an Honorable Mention in the 2014 Rainbow Awards. She loves travel, chocolate, and wine (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband and the coolest yellow lab ever in an almost empty nest.
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Buy Links:
Dreamspinner Press – eBook || Dreamspinner Press – Paperback || Amazon US || Amazon UK || All Romance eBooks

Tour Stops:
September 28:
The Purple Rose Tea House
September 29: Reviews by Jessewave
September 30: Divine Magazine
October 1: Prism Book Alliance
October 2: Love Bytes Reviews
October 5: Gay.Guy.Reading And Friends
October 6: The Land of Make Believe
October 7: The Novel Approach
October 8: Diverse Reader
October 9: Joyfully Jay
October 12: Amanda C. Stone
October 13: The Blogger Girls
October 14: Bayou Book Junkie
October 15: Carly’s Book Reviews
October 16: Rainbow Gold Reviews

Giveaway:
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3 Comments

  1. […] A special thank you to Sid at Creative Minds for helping organize this tour! Today I’m at Amanda C. Stone‘s blog. I love visiting her because she’s known for asking outside of the box questions […]

  2. Amy Keating Casey says:

    Hello!! Love this series!! Thanks for a great interview, blurb and giveaway!! That was great!

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