Title: Fire and Diamond
Author: Andrew Grey
Series: Carlisle Deputies #6
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Romance/Law Enforcement
Publisher: Dreamspinner
Press
Release Date: Aug 8, 2020
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print
Blurb/Synopsis:
A Carlisle Deputies Novel
When Deputy Nick Senaster chastises a bunch of college kids
at a bar, he doesn’t think anything of it, even if their leader is gorgeous.
The guy is too young and way too cocky, and soon Nick has an emergency foster
placement to focus on. His first job is ensuring ten-year-old Ethan knows
someone cares for him. But Nick doesn’t realize Ethan is a package deal.
When Alexander finds out his abusive stepfather, Dieter, has
lost custody of his half brother, he’s torn between relief and dread. Alexander
can’t get custody until he can provide a home for his tiny family. In the
meantime, at least Ethan’s foster father will let Alexander visit.
So of course the man turns out to be the cute but dour cop
who gave Alexander a hard time.
Soon Nick and Alexander discover they misjudged each other. Nick is more than an authoritarian automaton, and Alexander has a drive and a maturity that belie their first meeting. But between a campaign of intimidation from Dieter, their own insecurities, and the logistics of dating with Ethan’s fragile sense of stability hanging in the balance, they have their work cut out for them if they want to build a future.
“A tournament!” one of the guys shouted, and they all formed
up to play.
Nick turned away, grabbed a menu, ordered a dozen wings from
Jason, and returned to his beer. More laughter welled from around the pool table,
and then a ball slammed against the bar near Nick’s leg. He jumped as one of
the guys raced over to retrieve it.
“Sorry,” he said, meeting Nick’s eyes for a second with the
deepest blue eyes he had ever seen. Suddenly Nick’s throat went dry, and he nearly
tipped his beer reaching for the glass. Their eye lock lasted only a second,
and then the guy hastily turned away and went back to his friends.
“Someone needs to teach them how to play,” Jason said,
clearly a little amused.
“Or maybe sober them up. How long have they been here?” Nick
turned back to the pool table.
“A few hours,” Jason reported.
Nick inhaled and cleared his throat, catching one kid’s eyes
and motioning him over, and they responded as a group.
“How do all of you plan to get home?” he asked gruffly and
reached into his pocket, showing them his badge.
“Dude…,” the kid groaned. “I got a van outside. We all came
in that.” His clouded eyes meant he’d probably already had too much.
“Is there anyone who hasn’t been drinking?” Nick asked, and
they all looked at each other like they had never thought of it.
“I’m the designated driver,” the cute guy who retrieved the
pool ball answered. “I haven’t had anything to drink in well over an hour, and
even then it was just one beer. Do you want to perform a sobriety test on me or
something?” The kid stepped forward, and once again Nick was almost hit in the
chest by the intensity in those eyes. His face had been sculpted by the gods,
with high cheekbones, a perfect nose, and hair so red it almost glowed. God, he
was gorgeous… until he opened his mouth. “You know, we’re just having a little
fun, and we’re not hurting anyone.” He put his hands on his hips, and his eyes
burned with righteous indignation almost as bright as his hair. “Wait… no, I do
not give you permission for any sort of test, and don’t think I did earlier.
Unless you have proof that I’ve broken the law….” He cocked his eyebrows, and
it might have been funny if Nick wasn’t already tired and pissed.
“I wasn’t threatening anyone.” He slipped off the stool. “I
was only warning all of you and making sure that someone responsible was making
sure all your friends got home.” He met the kid’s gaze with a stony one of his
own. “Drinking and driving is never a good idea, and…” He raised his gaze to
where one of the guys was lying on the pool to table trying to make a shot. “It
seems your friends have had more than their share.” He crossed his arms over
his front, knowing it would push his chest out and make him seem bigger and
intimidating. “Just be careful.” He turned back to the bar just as Jason set
down his plate of wings.
Nick did his best to sit and eat, drinking the last of his
beer and then switching to water. Jason kept his glass full, and Nick breathed
deeply to try to unwind. Until another pool ball made an appearance, this time
flying across the bar, knocking over glasses and making a mess.
“You better take that shit back or I’ll break your head.”
Another ball followed, and Nick caught it before the flung ball could do any
damage.
“That’s enough!” Nick snapped. “All of you against the wall,
now!” He was done with this shit. “I mean it. You are out of control.” He
pinned each of the guys with his gaze until the redhead stepped forward. “Don’t
pull anything after that little display.”
