What an appropriate time for a theme such as this. Usually June is the month of weddings, but with the recent passing of Robin Gibb, and the memory of the Bee Gees version of this song… I am still saddened.
Yes, I like the Bee Gees and I think it’s tragic that only one brother remains.
However, for Snippet Saturday, we must delve into our books for broken hearts. And they can come from anywhere…death, leaving, a broken friendship, hurt feelings from a family member, even a circumstance can break our heart. Sometimes they mend with ease and sometimes, they leave a scar that we will always feel…
I don’t have a cover for this book yet, but this snippet is from my next M/M release, Malachi’s Word.
Snippet:
“Man.” Danny spat the word with disgust and Mal wiped the bar again just to be on the safe side. “It’s always about a man.”
“Things not work out with that pretty thing you carted out of here the other night?” The glare Danny leveled at Mal would have frightened a lesser man. Mal wasn’t now nor had he ever been scared of Danny. Their friendship went back too far. They knew everything about one another. Danny, drunk or sober, wouldn’t hurt anyone unless it was to protect someone else and he sure as hell would never strike Mal.
“You should know the answer to that one.” Mal did know and secretly, whether it was the right thing or not, he was always glad. Danny always did do things the hard way.
“Then why do you bother?”
“Can’t have who I really want.” The words were miserably spoken, full of sadness and resignation. Mal understood exactly what it meant and felt like to want someone so much and not be able to have them. He’d been dealing with it most his life, but hearing those words from Danny… Well, it was the first time the other man had admitted he felt something for someone.
“You mean there is someone? A serious someone?” He desperately wanted to ask who the man was that had Danny all fucked in the head and drinking the desire away every night. He wanted to know who had been lucky enough to garner Danny’s romantic interest so he could help the guy get his head out of his ass. Danny was special and deserved someone just as… Mal should know. He’d always wanted to be the man Danny fell in love with.
“Where the hell have you been? Of course there’s a serious someone. You think I like fucking a different ass every other week? Damn, Mal. I thought you of all people would… Shit. I’m outta here.”
“I’ve been trying to get your ass outta here for ten minutes.” At Danny’s confused looked, Mal laughed and hoped he’d pulled it off as nothing more than friendly. “Last call, remember?”
“Fuck you.”
Mal didn’t comment, though he wanted to ask if Danny’s words were an offer because he’d sure like to accept. Instead, he went around the side of the bar and helped his friend to stand. “Who is he?”
“Someone,” Danny uttered softly, the one word sounding so dejected, Mal’s heart ached. He’d never admitted to Danny that there was someone he wanted, too. That, in fact Danny was his someone and while there should always be a special person for everyone, it shouldn’t bring such pain and sadness. Then again, love unrequited was the definition such things.
“Does he know?” Mal asked, walking Danny toward the door. He looked over his shoulder at Eli to find the other man staring after them. Eli nodded and Mal returned the gesture in silent acknowledgement.
“The boy toy? Yes. I called him the other guy’s name during a blow job.”
Mal winced. “Not good. But, I meant the serious man.”
“No,” Danny agreed. “Not good to called a twink or anyone else some other guy’s name. They can get vicious. I still have the scratch marks to prove it. And no, Mr. Serious doesn’t know.”
The cab driver had the door open at the curb and Mal helped Danny get settled inside. “How’d you get here tonight?”
“Friend dropped me off.”
“Okay.” Mal knelt on the sidewalk and looked at his friend, doing his best to school his own features into a mask of support. He didn’t know if he was relieved or disappointed that he wouldn’t have a need to take Danny’s truck back out the ranch . “Maybe you should tell him. At least get it out in the open, Danny.” It wasn’t the first time he wondered if he should take his own advice and tell Danny the truth.
Danny slowly shook his head. “I’d lose him if he knew,” he said, dropping his head backward and closing his eyes. “Can’t lose him.”
Who could Danny know so well and whose friendship meant so much to him that a confession would tear their friendship apart, other than Mal himself? Maybe someone from when he was in the Army? Again, Mal wanted to ask but didn’t. He wasn’t sure he wanted the answer if his own name didn’t pass through Danny’s lips. “How can you lose someone if they don’t even know you want them?” Mal stood after a few seconds when there was no remark made by Danny in response. He closed the door and spoke to the cab driver, paying him in advance and giving him directions out to Danny’s place. Mal paid a little extra for the driver to make sure Danny got inside safely.
He turned away without watching the tail lights disappear. Danny would sober up and everything would be fine. It always was after a binge like this. His friend would be back tomorrow night, all smiles and ready to pick up the next little toy to warm his bed and Mal fought against the urge to rub at the ache in his chest at the thought.
end
And as always, there are several other blogs to visit with awesome snippets:
Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Rhian Cahill
Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace
Mandy M Roth
Leah Braemel
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Shiloh Walker
TJ Michaels
Lauren Dane
Have a good Saturday.
~lissa
