Taking the Dare

By Lee Brazil

Morgan Hawke is happy with the status of his relationship with Dan Blake. But after three years, Dan's ready to move their relationship to the next level.

Seeing his brothers find love and settle into family life makes Dan realize he's ready for change. The only problem with that is his lover prefers to maintain the status quo. Dan's up for the challenge of changing Morgan's mind. He's got plans, and he's used to working behind the scenes to get his way.

Morgan can't understand the changes he sees in Dan. They've come a long way from the office of the bar where they met, but he's not sure he's ready to move their relationship from the shadows to the front pages. Publicity is okay for Dan, he's got the weight of the Blakes behind him, but Morgan isn't sure he's ready to let go of the past he's been clinging to.

Can Dan manipulate a happy ending for this script?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lee Brazil
• Release date: Oct 17, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370882779

Lee Brazil

Somewhere in a small town in up-state New York are a librarian and a second grade teacher to whom I owe my life. That might be a touch dramatic, but it’s nevertheless one hundred percent true.Because they taught me the joy of reading, of escaping into worlds crafted of words.Have you ever been nine years old and sure of nothing so much as that you don’t belong? Looked at the world from behind glasses, and wondered why you don’t fit?Then turn the page and see... there you are, running from Injun Joe in a dark graveyard; there you are fencing with Athos; there you are...beneath the deep blue sea- marveling at exotic creatures with Captain Nemo.I found myself between the pages of books, and that is why I write now, it’s why I taught English and literature for so many years, and it’s why my house contains more pounds of books than furniture.If I’d had my way, I’d have been a fencer...or a starship captain, or a lawyer, or a detective solving crimes. But instead, I am a writer, and that’s the best thing in the world to be if you ask me, because as a writer, I can be all those things and more.If I hadn’t learned to value the stories between the pages, who knows what would have happened? Certainly not college...teaching...or writing.

Book preview

Taking the Dare

Truth or Dare #4

Morgan Hawke is happy with the status of his relationship with Dan Blake. But after three years, Dan's ready to move their relationship to the next level.

Seeing his brothers find love and settle into family life makes Dan realize he's ready for change. The only problem with that is his lover prefers to maintain the status quo. Dan's up for the challenge of changing Morgan's mind. He's got plans, and he's used to working behind the scenes to get his way.

Morgan can't understand the changes he sees in Dan. They've come a long way from the office of the bar where they met, but he's not sure he's ready to move their relationship from the shadows to the front pages. Publicity is okay for Dan, he's got the weight of the Blakes behind him, but Morgan isn't sure he's ready to let go of the past he's been clinging to.

Can Dan manipulate a happy ending for this script?

Taking the Dare

Truth or Dare

Book Four

By

Lee Brazil

2nd Edition

Published in the United States of America

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, locations and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. As such, any resemblance to any persons, living or deceased, businesses, events, or locales is coincidental.

Cover Art by © Author Services

Editing by Olivia Ventura for Breathless Press

Copyright October 2010 © Lee Brazil

Second Edition October 2016

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Published in the United States of America

TAKING THE DARE

Prologue

Griff's place was different. The scent of the place was different. The look, the feel, the whole atmosphere eased a tension Danny normally held deep inside. Here, he wasn't a Blake. Here, he was Danny, the wannabe writer who had yet to finish his first book. Danny existed in this environment solely as the owner's best friend since kindergarten. No one here knew about the screenplays and scripts, the studio, his brothers. No one knew about the mansion in the hills and the private schools, the privileged life that he'd never felt quite at home with.

Danny leaned back against the bar, accepted another lemon drop martini from Griff, and did what he did best. He observed the patrons. He absorbed people's actions, their movements, their mannerisms, snippets of conversations, and the way they interacted. These people were real. They lived real lives, interacted with one another in real ways. Not like the lives he and Griff hid from, the fake smiles, the superficial chat, the quid pro quo of local society.

They fascinated him. These people with their real lives, real worries, and real emotions.

He loved them. Loved coming here on Friday afternoon, hearing the cheerful greetings the regulars called out, searching the darkness for the newcomers, making up stories about what brought them here.

Sometimes he found someone he enjoyed or someone who appealed to his sexual side, and they'd sneak into Griff's office for a quickie. Sometimes he and Griff even hooked up. Not so much of that lately. Most of the time, like tonight, he just leaned back on the bar and watched people.

A low wolf whistle from Griff distracted him. He tilted his head back to meet the bartender's eyes. Griff nodded toward the door. Danny let his gaze travel in that direction, not really interested, but curious about what had stirred Griff. As he took in the newcomer, the flicker of interest grew to a flame.

Danny had never noticed the guy here before, but he could have been a regular. He wore confidence like a comfortably faded pair of Levis, and Danny took notice right away. Tall, broad-shouldered, the newcomer had shoulder-length, wavy, dark hair that could have been black or brown. His skin glowed creamy and clean-shaven in the dim interior. It was impossible to discern the exact color of his gleaming eyes. The good looks didn't make Danny's dick sit up and take notice. No. It was the confidence, the casual stride that said, I'm fucking hot. The man's cocky stride and arrogant posture exuded sex. Yeah.

In another place, as another man, Dan would have blown the guy off. Cocky didn't interest Dan Blake. Dan Blake lived cocky. Dan Blake could have this guy, if he wanted him.

But Danny...Danny was a second son. His mother favored his older brother, his father favored his younger brother, and Danny lurked somewhere in the middle, waiting for his parents to notice him. If Danny wanted this guy, it would take some work.

Danny turned his gaze back to the interior of the bar, focusing on a couple of regulars in the corner. Ted and Jake. He knew them and their story. They intrigued him, but right now watching them make out provided a much-needed distraction from the hottie in the doorway. They didn't even have half his attention. Everything in him but his gaze was focused on that man progressing across the floor, nodding and smiling at people as he approached the bar.

Danny still couldn't tell if the man was a regular in on an off day or a very charming, very friendly newcomer who spoke to everyone who made eye contact. By the time the guy made his way over to lean against the bar and talk to Griff, though...he decided that he wanted him. Enough to make a move that Danny normally wouldn't have.

Put it on my tab, Griff. He twisted his body around to prop his elbow on the bar and lean his head on his hand, and smiled up at the newcomer. Hi. I'm Danny. This close he could tell the striking eyes were blue, the hair black, the smile sexier than he'd expected. Its impact hit deep in his gut, and his own smile faded.

Morgan. Thanks for the beer. You come here often?

Danny accepted the man's hand, held it a little too long, let his thumb trace the throbbing pulse before he released it. Noted the gold band on his third finger the man made no attempt to hide.

Every Friday. You? He caught Griff's headshake out the corner of his eye. Morgan hadn't been here before.

First time. Some deeper meaning imbued the words. Maybe.

Dan narrowed his eyes. His heart beat hard and fast. He liked that idea very much. Danny was used to second place. Being first appealed to him. First time in a gay bar?

Morgan smiled again, licked his lips. Danny let his eyes follow the movement of the pink tongue, deliberately traced the same path across his own bottom lip. Morgan sipped his beer, kept staring intently into Dan's eyes. Yes. First time.

At the unmistakable emphasis, Danny's interest flared anew. It's no different than a straight place. You see something you like, you make your interest known. If you don't get your face slapped, you're doing okay.

Morgan set his beer on the table, ran an elegant hand through his hair. You planning to slap my face, Danny?

Dan laughed. He couldn't hold it in. For what? Venturing in here?

Morgan's hair brushed his shoulders as he shook his head slowly. No, he whispered. For this. He leaned forward slightly, wrapped a hand around Danny's neck and one around his waist, and tugged him tight and close. Danny had time to register the heat and hardness of the man's cock grinding into his own for just a second before his mouth dropped down the few centimeters necessary to press their lips together.

Where Danny had intended to be the aggressor, he found himself melting into the role of acceptance. Morgan's tongue invaded his mouth, seeking, taking, and Danny absorbed it all, the sensations, the rising anticipation. He rubbed his aching erection against the bulge in Morgan's jeans, opened his mouth wider, and let the heat of Morgan seep into his body.

First time kissing a man, maybe—but Morgan clearly was skilled at pleasing a partner. Griff's tap on his shoulder and a few whistles from the onlookers dragged Danny back from the depths.

Where's your wife tonight? Danny aimed for distance, for safety. He was on the precipice of something, not sure he wanted to make the leap.

Out with her boyfriend. Morgan traced a finger over his wedding band, met Danny's eyes squarely. She doesn't care what I do, or who I do it with. You taste like lemon candy. A little sadness colored the bold statement, as though the situation didn't entirely please Morgan, but he accepted it anyway.

That melancholy touched Danny, even though he didn't want it to. This was Friday night, his time out from reality for rejuvenating. He shrugged his unease away. If the man's wife didn't care, too bad for her. Such things weren't unheard of in Hollywood.

Um...office? he offered, shaking off his introspection and deciding to let impulse guide him. No one had ever stirred him quite the way this man did, and he intrigued the writer in Danny. Right, like you're only doing this to take notes for some nonexistent novel.

Morgan's gaze burned into him. Danny swore he could feel its heat in his soul. For me, not Dan Blake.

Lead the way. Morgan's husky voice sent a shiver through Danny. He pried the man's hand from his hip and reluctantly stepped back, letting air between them.

The regulars lost interest as Danny led Morgan away down the narrow corridor to the tiny office. The click of the door swinging shut cut off the murmurs of the crowd, and Danny swallowed as