Coffee and Tea

By K.L. Noone

A Character Bleed / Leather and Tea crossover!

These days, Colby Kent-Mirelli is wonderfully happy. He loves being married to Jason, sharing a movie-star life and a happy ending on and off screen. But an invitation to a charity gala brings Colby and Jason back to London ... and face to face with a piece of Colby’s past.

Simon Ashley should apologize to Colby Kent. As teenagers, they weren’t friends, and Simon could be cruel. He’s trying hard to be a better person now: happier, kinder, believing in love, which he’s found with his husband Ben, a real-life former secret agent and massive Colby Kent fan. And this charity gala invitation might be Simon’s chance to finally make things right ... if Colby will listen.

Simon wants to apologize. Ben wants to support him ... and meet Colby. Colby just wants the evening to go smoothly. And Jason will always protect his husband.

But this glittering night might have a few surprises in store for them all ...

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Aug 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9781685505554

K.L. Noone

K.L. Noone loves fantasy, romance, cats, far too sweet coffee, and happy endings! She is also the author of Port in a Storm and its upcoming sequel, available from Less Than Three Press, and numerous short romances with Ellora’s Cave and Circlet Press; her fantasy fiction has appeared in Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Sword and Sorceress anthologies. With her Professor Hat on, she teaches college students about Shakespeare and superhero comics, and has published academic articles and essays on Neil Gaiman’s adaptations of Beowulf, Welsh mythology in modern fantasy, and Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels.

Book preview

Coffee and Tea

By K.L. Noone

Published by JMS Books LLC

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2023 K.L. Noone

ISBN 9781685505554

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Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

All rights reserved.

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review. This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

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This one’s for everyone who, when I mentioned this random crossover idea, immediately said yes, go on, do it.

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Coffee and Tea

By K.L. Noone

Chapter 1

Hey, Jason Kent-Mirelli said, picking up the envelope, waving it at his husband, babe, cream puff, we need to send back an answer about your literary fundraiser gala. Like, by Monday. Do you want to go?

Oh. Colby had just finished making coffee; his hand paused on the way to cinnamon cream. His fingers were long and elegant and expressive. The gold of his wedding ring caught and held the kitchen lights, here at home, along with Jason’s heart. I…suppose we should. Showing support.

Jason leaned a hip against the counter beside him. Watched Colby’s face, those wide blue eyes. They were nearly the same height; he might win by an inch or so, but Colby had that Hollywood leading-man height too, taller than average. Jason at the moment felt his own breadth, though: action-hero muscles, shoulders, chest, next to Colby’s slim strong grace.

He carefully didn’t push. Not getting into his husband’s space. Colby probably wouldn’t mind—comfortable, these days, with Jason, and they were looking at each other, so no sudden movement would be a surprise—but the phrasing, the hesitation, had said a lot.

He said, I know you know, so I’m just saying it out loud, you didn’t technically answer, there. About what you want. You don’t have to, but I’d like to know.

Oh, I know. I’m thinking. Bring that invitation, if you would? Colby put a hand on Jason’s arm, which was a message itself, warm as cinnamon coffee. Come sit down with me?

Of course. Jason collected the invitation—fancy, embossed, gilt-edged, expectant—and four rainbow-striped lemon-sugar cookies in case his husband needed sugar, and followed. The evening, late-summer velvet in shades of blue and indigo and California palm trees, exhaled. Beyond the open windows of the living room, their pool shimmered; along the hill, in the rolling neighborhoods and valleys, lights glittered, coming on. Further beyond that, the ocean unfolded in a deep wine-dark horizon.

Their home, their house, held all those soft sparkles too. Little glints of light: fantasy novels and steampunk lamps, the prettiest of Jason’s dice collection on display alongside Colby’s priceless copy of Burton Douglas’s memoir, signed, a gift from a friend. Oversized furniture and cozy rich colors, blues and bronzes and brass buttons on couch-arms. The life they’d built together, here.

Their wedding photo, the large one with all the laughter, made Jason smile every time. Himself and Colby Kent. Such a fairytale, every day.

He sat down next to Colby on their usual couch. The couch, used to Jason’s bulk, stepped up willingly.

Jason held out an arm, a hope; Colby promptly flowed over into being cuddled, right up against him, so that was good, that was promising, that meant whatever reactions lay under the surface were more thistles than daggers.

The day had been fun, but long. Himself and Colby running lines, practicing, that morning. Meetings over at Raven Studios. Production discussions about wardrobe and a couple of action sequences. That first table read.

The project in question was the sequel to their massively popular mystery film of a couple years ago, which hadn’t been intended to have a sequel, but everyone’d loved it. Colby had in fact had an idea for more, and had promptly written yet another genius screenplay late at night and between press events and producing a Shakespearean adaptation. Jason thought this sequel might be even better, funnier and even more clever, and he’d think so even if his husband