Monday, October 13, 2014

Amethysts of Wisdom excerpt by Serena Yates


"True love is more precious than the rarest of gemstones." --The Collector

In Amethysts of Wisdom by Serena Yates, Angus loves ancient languages and sharing his knowledge with high school kids, but his true passion is linguistic research. Love doesn't come easy for him, despite the amethyst ring his grandmother gave him to help him heal from the traumatic experience that still haunts him. He desperately wants a loving relationship with Ayden, despite their different temperaments, but cannot seem to overcome his fears. Ayden is not a patient man, and Angus is afraid he'll lose him, so he decides to open up.

Ayden hates the fact he can't seem to get closer to Angus. When he is shot at on a secret mission to free a hostage in Central America, he resolves to find out what is stopping Angus from accepting physical intimacy. Ayden finds him a gift, a mysterious amethyst-covered book, hoping it will show Angus how much he loves him.

But the book has a mind of its own. Mysterious letters appear and disappear. Weird dreams challenge their very understanding of reality. Can they overcome their differences and discover the amethysts' wisdom?

 Amethysts of Wisdom
  • Diversity Novels; 2nd edition (January 31, 2013)
  • ASIN: B00BQSGW5M

 Excerpt:

 Chapter One

Provo, Utah, February this year

"Hey, gorgeous." Ayden Newkirk walked up to Angus's desk, winding his way between the stacks of books gracing the small office's floor. He wasn't quite able to suppress his grin of delight at seeing his secret boyfriend of three months. He knew they had to be careful, this was Mormon country, after all, and some of the most conservative people he'd ever met worked here at the university. But honestly? With the door closed behind them and late on a Friday afternoon, who was even going to notice? "Are you ready to get out of here and start our weekend?"

Angus glanced up from the papers he'd been staring at and blinked. His sky-blue eyes behind the sexy gold-rimmed glasses had that faraway look Ayden loved. It spoke of hidden mysteries to be discovered and even though Ayden had no idea what was so fascinating about teaching foreign languages and correcting students' work, he respected Angus's need to make what the man called 'good use' of the six or seven ancient and modern languages he spoke.

Angus blinked again then visibly pulled himself together before taking off his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger of his left hand. Ayden wanted to kiss the man's discomfort away. When Angus finally took a deep breath that sounded more like a sigh, Ayden got a little worried.

"Angus?" His grin faded. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Angus smiled, finally, and the stress line around his mouth dissolved. He dropped the pen he'd been making notes with and sagged in his chair.

"Come on, let's go." He held out his hand.

Angus rose and walked around his desk to join him. Ayden took his hand and pulled him up against him, locking their joined hands between them, right above his heart. His other arm went around Angus's middle. God, he had craved their physical connection all day. He always did, but the need seemed to get more intense the longer they were together.

He bent his head and touched Angus's lips. The man closed his eyes with a small sigh of bliss. Ayden stayed perfectly still for a few seconds, letting their breaths mingle. Where he was excited from just seeing his boyfriend, already more than half hard, Angus always took a little longer to let go of the tight control he maintained. Ayden had never met a more repressed man. Thing was, once they got going, Angus was always enthusiastic--up to a point. Ayden still hadn't figured out why Angus held back when more than kissing was involved, but he'd decided to wait. Angus was worth the wait.

Ayden licked along Angus's lips until he opened and welcomed him inside. Slowly he reacquainted himself with the flavor and heat of Angus's mouth, caressing and touching anywhere he could reach. Angus reciprocated enthusiastically until they were both moaning with the shared pleasure.

He started stroking Angus's hip, the soft fabric of the dark, conservative pants the man wore to work a somewhat annoying barrier between him and the skin he wanted to touch. He moved lower and squeezed a firm ass cheek, making Angus buck his hips and pull back from their kiss.

"Ayden!" He was breathless. "What if someone comes in?"

"They won't." He showed no remorse. "Nobody's even here anymore, they've all left for the weekend."

"You're impossible." Angus shook his head and attempted to step back, but Ayden wouldn't let him. He needed to touch.

"Yeah, and you like that about me, admit it." His grin returned unbidden and he winked.

"What am I going to do with you?" Angus smiled.

"I have a few ideas..." His grin widened.

Then his damned cell phone rang. Shit, should have switched it off. Not that he ever did, he took his job as hostage rescue support for the small private security company he worked for much too seriously. But he had been tempted, more so recently. Didn't he deserve an occasional weekend off, just like everyone else?
Angus had already pulled back, his happy expression becoming closed. Ayden tried to convey his regret with his eyes, pulled out his phone, and opened it. The caller ID confirmed his suspicion. He took the call, mouthing 
"sorry".

Angus shrugged, walked back around his desk, and started to close down his computer and clean his desk. Ayden turned toward the window for some privacy and listened to what his boss had to say.

As expected, it wasn't good and he had very little time before he needed to be at the airport. He ended the call and stared out of the window, trying to figure out what to say. Talking wasn't exactly his strong suit. His shoulders stiffened with the tension.

"Ayden?" Angus's voice was shaky. "What's wrong?"

He turned around but couldn't look at the man. They'd anticipated this weekend for a while now, and he knew they needed to spend more time together if they were ever going to deal with their differences. But how could he turn down a mission where an innocent life was at stake?

"I'm really sorry, Angus, but something's come up." He still didn't dare look at the man. The disappointment he knew would cloud those amazing eyes would be too much to bear. "I have to go home and pack. They're picking me up in an hour."

"No!" Angus sounded desperate as he jumped up. "Ayden, no. Don't do this to me. You promised we could have the weekend to go hiking."

"Please, sweetheart, don't make this more difficult than it is." He finally looked up, silently pleading with him to understand. "You know I'd keep my promise if I could."

"Don't you 'sweetheart' me." Angus frowned. "I can't believe you're doing this to me again. Why are those 
missions always more important than spending time with me?"

"This mission isn't more important than spending time with you." He raked a hand though his hair. "But I have to go, it's urgent. I can't tell you what it's about..."

"Well, no surprise there." Angus huffed and flopped down into his chair. "It's always urgent and you can never tell me anything. I don't get it. It's not like you're in the Marines anymore. You're working for a private company now. They can't just order you around. But you still jump every time they call."

"I can't tell you anything, Angus. You know that." He bristled at the accusation of being at their beck-and-call, even though he pretty much was. "They're not ordering me around and you know it. But when the team needs me and a life is at stake, I'm not going to ignore them."

"Can't you at least think this through before you jump in?" Angus sounded scared.

"There's no time to think, don't you understand that?" His voice got louder. "My job isn't nice and easy like yours, with lots of time to consider everything for days. There are lives at stake and if we don't act people die. Helpless, innocent people who've done nothing wrong and who've got nobody to protect or help them. Why can't you get that?"

"I do get it." Angus sighed. "I just don't want you to go. I don't see why you have to keep putting your life on the line."

"No, I don't think you get it at all." He hated that Angus always made it so difficult for him. Hell, it was hard enough to leave the man, not knowing when he could see him again. These emotional outbursts only made it worse. Not knowing how to express all of that in a way that Angus could understand, Ayden turned around and walked toward the door.

"Ayden, please don't." Angus sounded close to tears.

Fuck! "You know what?" He turned back to look at him, his mouth a thin line of barely controlled anger. "I don't want to argue with you while you're so emotional. Why don't you cool down and stop being selfish and we'll talk about this when I'm back."


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