Hide Your Love Away
By Mia Kerick
IF I FELL Series, Book 1
Blurb
Too young.
Too damaged.
Too close to Cole’s enormous secret for comfort.
Rough and tumble Edgewater University maintenance man Colton Ledger should keep his distance from the sleek and snarky college junior who has caught his attention. After all, Timmy is half his age, not to mention that Cole has a secret life he can’t afford to reveal. So why is he compelled to undermine the young man’s cocky game and lure him into his private life?
As the product of an unwanted late-life pregnancy, Timmy Hale has been emotionally shattered by a loveless upbringing. After years of desperate attempts to garner attention from his apathetic parents fail, young adult Timmy changes course. He hides his feelings of vulnerability behind meaningless sex, endless partying, and a big, bad attitude. Until Cole comes along…
When trouble finds Timmy in the form of a dangerous and relentless stalker, Cole must decide if Timmy is worth the risk of coming clean about the confidence he’s obliged to keep, as Timmy weighs the potential havoc falling in love could wreak on his heart.
Hide Your Love Away is Book One in the IF I FELL Series.
Age Gap, Hurt/Comfort, Keeping Secrets, Opposites Attract Adult Contemporary MM Romance.
Excerpt
“I kick my clothes from my ankles and lift Timmy to the bed. “Just lie back and let me take care of you.”
“You, you just said…,” He curls up on his side and lets go another one of those angsty yelps.
I pull off his sneakers and joggers and then the snug boxer briefs beneath. I help him to sit up so I can take off his vest and T-shirt. “Why are you—what’s wrong, Timmy?”
Again, he shuts his eyes, this time scrunching them tightly.
“Look at me. You need to look at me when you answer,” I insist.
“He nods once and opens his eyes, though he must grit his teeth to do it. “Nobody loves me.”
“I love you.”
He shakes his head. “But you can’t.”
I know why he believes he isn’t worthy of love. My job is to prove it’s not true. “Yes, I can. Just try and stop me.”
I push him onto his back on the bed, climb on top of him, and fix my lips to his. He opens his mouth wide and frenzied tongue action starts.
“No Timmy, you don’t need to do that. Let me kiss you.”
When his body goes limp, I’m afraid I’ve hurt his pride.
I’m gentle when I kiss him, and his lips move carefully against mine. Soon I shift my attention to the vulnerable underside of his jaw and then the sleek column of his neck. I’m not sure he’s aware that he lifts his chin to receive more of my kisses. I lavish hordes of affection on him—all the love and care and passion I’ve held inside for twenty lonely years. And I don’t even stop to wonder how I can possibly love Timmy after such short time together.
I don’t need to ask this question.
It’s simple fact that I feel everything for this young man. It clicks with us. I know this as I know that the sky is blue, and the sun burns hot, and Timmy’s eyes are as deep and endless as the ocean. Tomorrow I’m going to talk to Robbie so I can bring Timmy fully into my life.
About the Author
Award-winning gay romance author and mother of four, Mia Kerick, knows that a satisfying romance novel is riddled with challenges. For true love to prevail, the leading men are going to have to put in some effort. But the HEA is oh-so rewarding.
From Jane Eyre’s Mr. Rochester to Brokeback Mountain’s Ennis and Jack, Mia has a great affinity for the tortured hero in literature. Her contemporary gay romance focuses on such steamy tropes as hurt/comfort, forbidden love, and enemies/friends to lovers. She firmly believes that sometimes you have to break his heart to save him. In Kerick’s books, the course of true love truly never does run smooth.
Mia’s books have been featured in Kirkus Reviews magazine. They have won a 2019 IPPY GOLD award for Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction, a 2018 YA GOLD MOONBEAM Children’s Book Award, a YA Readers’ Favorite Award, several Gold Rainbow Awards in YA and adult categories, a Reader Views’ Book by Book Publicity Literary Award, the Jack Eadon Award for Best Book in Contemporary Drama, a YA Indie Fab Award, a First Place Royal Dragonfly Award for Cultural Diversity, a First Place Story Monsters Purple Dragonfly Award, and more. Mia cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.
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Giveaway
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